The Red Cross and Hamden’s government are helping six people find temporary housing after a fire at their apartment building at 21 Plaza Terrace.
Firefighters arrived at the site Tuesday at 8:09 a.m., saw smoke coming from the second floor, made “a quick entry and knock[ed] down a kitchen fire” in the second-floor apartment, according to a release from Hamden Fire Marshal Brian Dolan.
“The fire was contained to the kitchen but the unit experienced heavy smoke damage,” and three other apartments “had moderate water damage,” displacing people from all four units, Dolan reported.
Investigators determined that the fire started when a tenant “heated a pan of oil and stepped away from the stove for a couple of minutes,” during which time the fire spread to a microwave and cabinets above the stove, according to Dolan. The tenant fled the building with his family and called 911.
“The Hamden Fire Department would like to remind residents to always remain in the kitchen while cooking,” Dolan advised.