Resident uses dry chemical extinguisher to put out stove fire

A Yuma resident extinguished a fire on top of a stove so quickly Thursday evening that it was out before Yuma firefighters arrived on scene.

According to information provide by City of Yuma Fire Department spokesperson Mike Erfert, firefighters were dispatched to a home in the 3400 block of South Don Carlos Road at about 11 p.m.

While en-route the firefighters were also informed the resident had used a fire extinguisher to put it out.

Firefighters, once on scene, confirmed that the fire was completely out and had not spread onto the surrounding walls.

It was determined, according to Erfert, that the resident had been heating a pan of oil on the stove and had left the room. When he returned to the kitchen a short time later he found the stove and cabinets on fire.

Using a dry chemical extinguisher, the resident was able to quickly put the fire out, limiting the damage to the stove, range hood, cabinets above the stove and some damage to the ceiling.

There were no injuries reported in this fire. This, however, was at least the second fire like this in the past few days.

According to the Yuma Fire Department, the most common place for fires to start in the home is in the kitchen. The most common place in the kitchen for fires to start is on the stove top, and the most common reason is unattended cooking.

Fires grow quickly and can double in size every minute. Fortunately, this fire was caught early enough that a dry chemical extinguisher was able to be effective. However, safety should always be the first consideration.