Unattended Oven Leads To Gastonia Apartment Fire, Firefighter Collapses

Wali Alston,

UPDATE: The Gastonia Fire Department has identified the firefighter injured in Saturday night’s response to a fire on Pineview Lane.

According to the GFD, Engineer Loren Ward collapsed due to an aneurysm during the fire attack. Ward was taken fromΒ Caromont Regional Medical Center to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte to undergo surgery to repair the aneurysm.

 

GASTONIA, N.C. — The Gastonia Fire Department says an unattended oven is to blame for a residential fire Saturday night.

Gastonia fire crews responded to a call on Pineview Lane at about 11:23 p.m. Saturday night.

It took firefighters about 15 minutes to extinguish the flames emanating from the two story apartment complex.

The sole occupant of the residence was able to escape without injury, but one firefighter was taken to Caromont Regional Medical Center and treated for injuries.

Authorities say the fire was initiated by unattended food cooking in an oven and offer the following tips when cooking meals.

  1. Always stay in the kitchen while baking, frying, grilling, or broilingΒ food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off theΒ stove.
  2. When simmering, baking, roasting, or boilingΒ food, check it regularly, remain in the home whileΒ foodΒ is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  3. Keep anything that can catch fireΒ such as oven mitts, wooden utensils,Β foodΒ packaging, towels or curtains away from theΒ stoveΒ top.