Columbus woman injured in kitchen fire

COLUMBUS – A Columbus woman suffered minor burns in a kitchen fire Monday afternoon.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, firefighters were called to the 1900 block of Keller Avenue at 12:36 p.m. after a report of a kitchen fire.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Fire Department

Firefighters discovered smoke and flames at the rear of the home and the fire was getting close to a gas service meter on the outside,

Columbus firefighters attacked the blaze from the outside and sent a second team inside. Their efforts were hampered by heavy smoke, intense heat, and a large amount of debris inside the home which was fueling the fire.

Firefighters cut holes in the roof to help get rid of the hot toxic gases and smoke.

Firefighters were able to get the fire under control within 30 minutes.

The homeowner said that she had been cooking when she went outside to get fresh produce from her garden. When she returned inside she discovered the fire on the stove and tried to put it out with a towel. Doing that caused the woman to suffer minor burns. She was treated at the scene. She declined to be transported to a local hospital for treatment.

According to firefighters, the fire which was ruled accidental caused more than $30,000 in damages causing the home to be unlivable.

Cooking fires are one of the most common types of fires in the U.S. and leaving a stove unattended is one of the more frequent contributing factors.

Columbus firefighters offer safety tips to prevent home fires, including:

  • Stay in the kitchen if you are actively cooking.
  • Keep combustible items like towels, paper products, and pot holders, away from hot surfaces.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher near the kitchen, ensuring you can access it without placing yourself in harm’s way
  • Always have working smoke alarms inside your home
  • If you can’t safely extinguish the fire, you should get out and call 911