PTC has 2 kitchen fires in 1 week

Peachtree City firefighters are urging residents to use caution when cooking, as fire crews have responded to two kitchen fires in the span of one week.

One of the incidents occurred on Laurel Court on May 1 and the other at Kings Ridge on May 8. During both occurrences, firefighters arrived to find visible fire and smoke conditions from stoves, fire officials said.

At one fire, grease on top of the stove heated to a point of ignition, officials said. Actual fire damage was limited to the kitchen area but smoke damage impacted most of the house.

The other fire also started in the kitchen in the area of the stove with the cause being undetermined, officials said. The fire damage was limited to the center of the structure and will require some structural replacement.

Quick actions on the part of occupants calling 911, and firefighters arriving on scene and taking aggressive action resulted in both homes being salvageable, officials said.

Fire officials suggest the following tips to avoid kitchen fires:

• Be on alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

If a cooking fire breaks out, fire officials suggest the following:

• Just get out. When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.

• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.

• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.