Fire Crews Respond on Two Separate Fires

06/10/2013 –  Parkersburg firefighters tackled two separate kitchen fires on Monday.

The first fire occurred around 8:30 Monday morning. Crews were dispatched to Captain D’s, at 2201 Pike Street, for a fire in the kitchen. The first engine arrived from Blizzard drive within a couple minutes of dispatch and reported heavy smoke showing. They were assisted from several other stations and the fire was contained, within 5 to 10 minutes, with damage limited primarily to the kitchen area.

“Given a few more minutes, the fire would have extended beyond the kitchen,” said fire Captain Brian Drake. “There was some damage to the adjacent walls and the room contents.”

After speaking with employees, fire officials believe the fire started while the deep fryer was in the process of being cleaned. The oil was being drained and the burner was exposed to air while it was still on, causing the fryer to ignite. The employees did activate the fire suppression system and sprayed an extinguisher, but it failed to contain the flames. Damage is estimated at $10,000.

The second alarm was dispatched around noon. The caller, at 600 29th Street, reported a fire in the kitchen.

“This was another grease fire that originated in the kitchen,” states Drake. “The occupant was frying french fries which caught fire and they reacted by throwing the skillet into the kitchen sink.”

Damages were limited to the immediate area around the stove. The home is owner by Gene Milligan and losses are estimated at less than $1,000.

No injuries were reported during either fire.