7 without a home after fire at Albemarle apartment building
VENN
ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Seven people are without a home after an accidental cooking fire damaged multiple Albemarle County apartments Wednesday night.
At about 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, crews with Albemarle County Fire Rescue were called to the University Heights apartment community for report of a structure fire.
When they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming out of one of the apartment buildings.
The fire was marked under control by 9:45 p.m., officials said.
Two apartments were impacted and a total of seven residents were displaced by the fire's damage. These residents are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
Per officials, this was determined to be an accidental cooking fire.
Albemarle County Fire Rescue provided the following fire safety tips to keep in mind while cooking:
- Wear short or close-fitting shoes when cooking.
- Turn the handles of pots and pans towards the back of the stove.
- Never leave the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food unless you turn off the stove first.
- When frying, use a pan lid or splash guard to prevent the splatter of grease.
- When using a microwave, use microwave-safe cookware, allowing steam to escape.
- Always wipe your stove, oven and exhaust fan clean to prevent the build-up of grease.
- When you're done cooking, ensure that all burners and appliances are turned off.
