Thick dark smoke filled the upper level of a Victoria house Sunday night and seeped out of its roof vents after an unattended pan caused a small kitchen fire.
No one was injured. The estimated damage was $100,000 due to significant smoke and water damage.
Firefighters responded to the fire at 1636 Amphion Street at the corner with Leighton Road at 5:46 p.m.
Three engines, one rescue truck, two ladder trucks and a command vehicle went to the scene, said Victoria Fire Battalion Chief Vince Cullen.
“We arrived to find the upper level of the house charged with thick dark smoke with smoke coming out of vents in the roof,” Cullen said.
“The crews gained entry to the house by forcing a door and found the smoke was a result of a small kitchen fire originating from an unsupervised pan on the stove,” he said.
The fire had spread into the upper cupboards but was contained to the kitchen area, said Cullen. There was significant smoke damage as well as water damage from extinguishing the fire.
“No one was in the home; no one was hurt or injured,” said Victoria Fire Battalion Chief Wayne Moody, on the night shift Sunday.
The parents with three children left the single family home unaware the stove top had been left on.
“It’s common, it happens more often than you realize,” said Moody. “Some people fall asleep, some go out and leave an element on and they are not aware of it — that’s what happened in this case.”
