Fairfield Firefighters Respond to Kitchen Fire at Fire Station 1
On Thursday evening, while returning from another alarm, the firefighters from Fire Station 1 were dispatched to a fire call that all firefighters dread, a fire in their own fire station. The fire at Station 1, located on Reef Road, had been reported by the Fire Marshal, Asst. Chief Phil Higgins at 5:57 PM. He had been alerted to the fire when the kitchen heat detector activated the building fire alarm.
After discovering the source of the fire, a frying pan burning on the stove, Chief Higgins immediately called 911 and requested assistance. Then, with the help of Firefighter Brendan Murray, who had stopped by the firehouse to pick up supplies for the Career Night presentation he was doing for the Key Club at Wakeman Boys and Girls Club, he and FF. Murray used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
When firefighters arrived on scene a few minutes later, they reported heavy smoke coming from the rear of the building. After ensuring that the fire was out, firefighters used large fans to clear the smoke condition and then checked for extension. The fire damage was contained to the pan with some minor extension to the wooden cabinet above the stove. The heat damage melted the plastic blinds covering the windows, and the heavy smoke damaged the walls and contents of the kitchen. The entire area was blanketed with the dry powder extinguishing agent contained in the 20 lb. fire extinguisher used to put out the fire.
After an investigation by Fire Marshal Higgins, the cause of the fire was determined to be “accidental.” The firefighters at Station 1 had been preparing dinner, chicken parmigiana, frying breaded filets in a pan of oil. They started cooking at 4:30 PM but had to stop their meal prep four times to respond to different fire or emergency medical calls. Each time they stopped cooking, they took the chicken out of the pan, put it on the rack, turned off the burner, turned off the oven, put on their fire gear, and responded to the call. The last time they left the fire station and responded to an automatic fire alarm at Heritage Square on the Post Road, they accidentally left the burner on.
According to Fire Marshal Higgins, “Tonight’s cause was determined rather quickly. It was “accidental” and accidents happen. Just because we’re firefighters, that does not mean we are immune from them happening to us. Just like any other fire in town, after the fire is out, we pick up and go back to service. We try to learn from each incident how to prevent them from happening, and how to minimize damage from fires we could not prevent. In this case, there are many lessons to be learned.”
The fire alarm installed at Fire Station 1 worked properly and notified the occupants (AC Higgins) of a fire in the building. After discovering the source, AC Higgins immediately called 911. The fire door to the kitchen was kept closed and the majority of the smoke and heat damage was confined to that room. The fire was quickly extinguished and no injuries were reported. Had the door been left open, the outcome would have been very different.
As we enter the holiday season, with Thanksgiving just a few short weeks away, we hope that everyone can learn from our kitchen fire. Accidents happen, and when they do it is important to stay calm and take immediate action. Here are a few steps to follow if you have a kitchen fire:
• Don’t leave cooking unattended.
• In case of fire call 911 immediately
• If the fire is small and manageable consider the following:
Keep a lid to cover the pot handy in case of a small fire.
Use a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket to extinguish small fires.
Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
Never let the fire get between you and the exit.
• If the fire is small and you decide to use a fire extinguisher, remember to use the P.A.S.S system:
Pull the Pin
Aim the hose at the base of the fire.
Squeeze the handle on the fire extinguisher.
Sweep from side to side as you extinguish.
• If the fire is in an oven or microwave – DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN OR MICROWAVE DOOR.
If you’re unsure about your ability to control the fire, evacuate and let your firefighters handle it. Be sure you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors that are tested monthly.
Develop an emergency evacuation plan for your home and identify a meeting place for you and your family. Practice the plan so that everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency! Familiarize yourself with the location of fire extinguishers and identify emergency exits. Nobody plans on having a kitchen fire, but when they happen, it’s important to have a plan. From our kitchen to yours, have a safe and happy holiday season!
