Burning food on stove sent firefighters racing to West Broad Street apartments

By Joe Johnson

Residents of Georgia Heights apartments were evacuated Thursday night while firefighters investigated the source of a fire alarm activation which turned out to be burnt food on a stove.

A resident of the fourth-floor apartment had already extinguished the fire, but firefighters needed to check for possible extension into the walls, said Athens Fire Marshal Rick Vaughn.

“This incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of staying in the kitchen when cooking and never leaving food unattended on the stove,”he said. “Working smoke alarms and early reporting continue to be key factors in preventing minor incidents from becoming more severe fires.”