Unattended cooking blamed for Sault Ste. Marie house fire

An undated photo of a Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services patch on the sleeve of a firefighter uniform. (File photo/CTV News)

Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services crews contained a residential kitchen fire over the weekend, an incident officials say was sparked by unattended cooking.

The call came in shortly after noon on Saturday reporting of a fire in a dwelling in the 0-100 block of Northern Avenue.

“Crews were able to contain and extinguish the fire,” the fire service said in a news release Monday.

Damage contained to kitchen

“Further investigation revealed the fire was caused by unattended cooking,” said Aaron Gravelle, a fire education officer with the service.

While the kitchen area sustained significant smoke and fire damage, officials said no one was hurt in the incident.

Paramedic services and PUC Services also attended the scene as a precaution.

Fire service issues safety reminder

In the wake of the fire, Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services reiterated critical safety advice for residents, urging people to never leave cooking unattended.

“If there are ever any doubts about extinguishing a fire, get out and call 911,” officials said.

For a stovetop fire, officials recommended placing a lid over the flames to smother it and caution against using water on grease or oil fires. An appropriately rated fire extinguisher can also be used.