Fire crews were called to a Davis Road home after a pot of cooking oil caught on fire last Wednesday afternoon [May 9].
The lone occupant in the house had stepped outside momentarily when the fire broke out in the kitchen, said Ladysmith fire chief Ray Delcourt.
“Somebody driving by noticed the smoke and stopped and called it in,” he said. “She had pets in the house, but they are all OK, luckily with all the smoke that was in there. They are very lucky.”
Due to heavy smoke and fire damage, the home, which was insured, will not be livable for the next several months.
Delcourt said estimated damages to the structure are about $70,000.
Delcourt said the incident is a good reminder to residents to use all caution while using cooking oil in the home.
“That’s what happened here; it boiled over and caught fire,” he said. “It spreads from the stove to the cabinets and all over … in a matter of minutes.”
He said it is just as important to ensure that all fire detectors and fire extinguishers in the house are functional and easily accessible at all times.
