Ocala firefighters are offering tips to help prevent the leading cause of house fires and injuries – unattended cooking – from affecting local residents.
Fire Prevention Week (October 8 through October 14) may be kicking off in a few weeks, but Ocala Fire Rescue is reminding residents that the actions they take to prevent fires should remain constant throughout the entire year.
“The installation of sprinkler systems, maintaining accessible fire extinguishers, and having working smoke alarms are essential in a fire safe home,” stated OFR in a social media post on Monday.
OFR added that it is also critical for residents to stay alert and focused on what is heated in the kitchen when using a stove, oven, or any other heat source.
Below are photos taken by OFR that show the damages that a local apartment sustained after a stove fire.
According to OFR, the apartment complex’s sprinkler system effectively extinguished the flames prior to the arrival of firefighters. The second-floor apartment, along with the unit directly below it, sustained moderate to heavy water damage.
Thanks to the apartment’s alarm monitoring system, no injuries were reported.
Earlier this year, Ocala firefighters responded to the Berkeley Pointe apartment complex (2833 NE 7th Street) after a toaster caught on fire while on top of the stove in a second-floor unit.
Thankfully, a fire suppression device in the kitchen managed to extinguish the fire prior to the arrival of firefighters, which prevented the flames from spreading beyond the stove.
OFR encourages residents to remember the following tips to help prevent house fires and fire-related injuries:
- Never leave the kitchen while cooking.
- Never cook while sleepy, drowsy, or intoxicated.
- Never disable smoke alarms while cooking.
- Always keep an eye on what you cook.
For more information, visit the Ocala Fire Rescue website or Facebook page.