ST CHARLES, Mo. — The St. Charles Fire Department is providing reminders to ensure fire safety this Thanksgiving weekend after it extinguished its first kitchen fire heading into the holiday.
The fire destroyed a multi-family building and left its residents without a home.
Just before noon Wednesday, the department said in a Facebook post firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire on the 200 block of Presswick Lane in St. Charles County. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found a working fire in the kitchen of a first-floor home. Police and firefighters evacuated the entire building and quickly extinguished the fire.
Investigators with the fire department found that the family living on the first floor cooked lunch and left the kitchen unattended for several minutes. When they returned to the kitchen, a fire had started on the stove.
No one was injured as a result of the fire, but the home became uninhabitable. The American Red Cross was assisting the family in finding a temporary housing arrangement as of Wednesday afternoon.
“Unattended cooking fires (are) the number one cause of home fires in St. Charles and the United States,” Fire Chief George Sheets said. “Especially this time of year, just before the Thanksgiving Holiday. Families begin preparing their holiday meals, become distracted and then tragedy strikes.”
The department provided these simple rules to ensure you and your family have a safe holiday:
Cooking safety:
- Never leave cooking unattended. Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling, or broiling food, and check on food that's baking or simmering regularly.
- Keep flammable materials (dish towels, paper towels) away from stovetops and ovens.
- Use a timer to remind you when food is ready to prevent overcooking and burning.
Turkey frying:
- If you're deep-frying a turkey, do it outside and away from structures, not inside the house, garage or under the deck.
- Use a turkey fryer with a built-in thermostat to control the temperature of the oil.
- Thaw the turkey completely and pat it dry before immersing it in hot oil to prevent oil splatters and fires.
Smoke alarms:
- Test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Smoke alarms can save lives by providing early warnings in case of a fire.
Candle safety:
- Consider using battery-operated candles instead of open flames, especially on your Thanksgiving table.
- If you do use real candles, then keep them away from flammable materials and never leave them unattended.
Keep children and pets safe:
- Keep children and pets away from the cooking area to prevent accidents and burns.
- Store matches and lighters out of reach of children.
Create a fire-safe cooking zone:
- Make sure your cooking area is clutter-free, with nothing that can catch fire, such as kitchen towels, oven mitts, or paper towels.
