Unattended Pot of Oil on Stove Kindles Kitchen Fire

On September 18^th 2019 at approximately 8:15pm, firefighters from fire hall’s 1, 3, 4 & 6 responded to a structure fire in the 5800 block of Vedder Rd. Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy black smoke showing from a 2^nd floor bedroom window of a three storey townhouse unit.

Firefighters were setting up for a defensive attack, when a witness indicated that there was an occupant trapped on the exterior balcony of the unit. Firefighters made their way to the back of the building and set up a ladder to assist the occupant.

Fire crews entered the home and quickly suppressed the fire which had started on an unattended pot of oil on the stove. There was substantial fire damage to the kitchen area and major smoke damage throughout the rest of the unit.

Due to the quick actions of the fire crews, they were able to contain the fire and smoke to the townhouse unit. As a precautionary measure, fire crews ventilated unaffected units on either side of the fire unit and those residents were allowed back in to their units.

The residents affected by the fire are currently in the care of Emergency Social Services. There were no civilian or firefighter injuries.

The cause of the fire is accidental.

The Chilliwack Fire Dept., would like to remind residents the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Please make sure to stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food and always turn off your burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason.