Accidental Cooking Oil Fire Claims $30,000 of Damage in Woodbridge Townhouse

The Prince William Fire Marshal's office has deemed a two-story townhouse fire on Hackwood Street as an accident. 

Rescue units were dispatched to the house at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday to find smoke billowing from a two-story townhome. Fire and rescue units were met by the residents, no one was in the building at the time of the fire. 

"The fire was contained to the kitchen area in which the cabinets sustained extensive fire damage and the remainder of the home sustained heavy smoke damage. The estimated property loss is $30,000," said a press release by the department. 

The Fire Marshal's office also said smoke detectors were present in the home, but were not working. 

Some tips from the fire department: 

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries with unattended cooking as the leading cause of these fires. Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue (www.pwcgov.org/fire) urges everyone to practice fire safety and recommends the following cooking safety tips:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling or boiling food.
• If you must leave the room turn off the stove
• When simmering, baking or roasting, check it frequently and use a timer as a reminder
• Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).
• Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three-feet (1 meter) around the stove.
• Keep pets from underfoot so you do not trip while cooking.
• Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.
• If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don't remove the lid until it is completely cool
• Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto apan fire; it can spray/shoot burning grease around the kitchen, actually spreading the fire.
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• If there is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave.