KANE — Nobody was injured in a kitchen fire that damaged a downtown Kane apartment late Tuesday night.
The incident happened at 11:02 p.m., when the Kane Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to the building at 16 Field St. owned by Mike Votano of Johnsonburg. While many false alarms have been reported from the building, smoke could be smelled in the downtown area and about 11:05 p.m., Fire Chief Tim Holt could be heard on the scanner requesting Tower 5 to the scene immediately.
A building maintenance worker walked out of his apartment and saw smoke in the hallway. He immediately started to evacuate the building upon observing the smoke.
Holt said the fire was caused after chicken strips and french fries being cooked on the electric stove top in apartment No. 7, occupied by Donny Smith, caught on fire and spread to the walls. Holt said firefighters were able to knock it down quickly to ensure the blaze would not spread further into the structure. He said had firefighters not attacked it as quickly as they did, the fire could have been a whole lot worse.
Holt said the kitchen and appliances were destroyed.
Firefighters connected Engine 56, situated in front of the building, to the hydrant on Fraley Street in front of the district magistrate’s office. Meanwhile, Engine 57 was connected to the hydrant located at the corner of Chase and Bayard streets.
The fire police had not only blocked the intersection of Field and Chase streets, but also intersections at Fraley and Haines streets as well as Fraley and Greeves streets.
The residents of the building were temporarily displaced during the blaze. Kane Area Community Center Director Michelle Palmer came downtown to unlock the center for evacuees. However, Holt said the building has been an apartment building for years and each unit has independent electric service. The other tenants returned to their apartments after the building was vented.
Smith was the only tenant directly impacted by the fire and was contacted by the American Red Cross.
Assisting on scene were Kane Borough Police Patrolman Ben Lobdell and an EmergyCare Ambulance.
Holt met with the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal to inspect the building on Wednesday morning. The fire was ruled as accidental in nature. Damage was estimated at $20,000, authorities said.
