HENRICO COUNTY, Va. – The fire that damaged a home along the 7900 block of Varina Road in eastern Henrico Monday morning started when someone left food on the stove and walked away. Henrico Fire crews put water on the flames shortly after they arrived at the house at about 11:21 a.m.
“First arriving units reported fire in the kitchen area at the back of the house. The fire had involved the kitchen cabinets and was starting to make its way out the exterior door,” Henrico County Fire spokesman Capt. Daniel Rosenbaum said. “Because of the quick actions of the fire crews the fire was contained to the kitchen area. There was moderate fire damage done to the kitchen and smoke damage done throughout the rest of the residence.”
No one was hurt in the fire.
Fire investigators said the fire started when the homeowner left a pot on the stove unattended. The smoke detector went off once the fire started. The American Red Cross was called to help the homeowners find a temporary place to live.
The Henrico Fire Department used Monday’s fire to remind people NOT to do the following things in their kitchen:
- NEVER use a stove if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol
- NEVER leave the kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food
- NEVER forget to turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time
- NEVER leave home if you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food
- NEVER forgot to set a timer to remind you that you are cooking
- NEVER store oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging or towels near your stove top
