3 Children Left Alone Escape House Fire In Gastonia, Officials Say

GASTONIA, N.C. — Three children who were left home alone managed to get out of a burning home in Gastonia overnight, officials say.

Firefighters with the Gastonia Fire Department were called around 2 a.m. to 924 Baker Boulevard where a home caught fire and was engulfed in smoke.

Gastonia firefighters entered the home and encountered fire in the kitchen, which they extinguished in approximately 10 minutes.

Three kids who were inside the home at the time of the fire were alerted by a working smoke alarm- allowing them to escape the home uninjured.

A dog, however, did die in the blaze.

The fire left $15,000 in damages and was started by food left unattended while cooking on the stove.

Officials recommend the public follow the guidelines below when preparing meals:

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