Lesson from Modesto blaze: Don’t use blanket to extinguish grease fire

A grease fire that erupted when a Modesto family was frying foods Thursday evening was contained to the kitchen but caused smoke and heat damage throughout the two-story home, the Modesto Fire Department reported.

About 7:20 p.m., Modesto, Ceres and Stanislaus Consolidated crews responded to reports of a structure fire on Del Prado Court, northeast of North Riverside Drive and Yosemite Boulevard.

It appears that whoever was cooking moved away from the stove for a little bit and the oil overheated and caught fire, said Modesto Battalion Chief Randy Anderson.

“They attempted to put a cover over it, but it sounds like they used a blanket, which caused more problems,” Anderson said.

The first crews on the scene found flames throughout the kitchen, rolling up the cabinets and across the ceiling, Anderson said. There was heat and smoke throughout the home. A photo posted on Facebook by Modesto Fire shows heavy smoke pouring from an upstairs window.

Four people were in the home and were able to get out unharmed, Anderson said.

The home was uninhabitable, but the family declined Red Cross housing assistance, instead choosing to stay with family nearby, Anderson said. The family was given a $100 voucher through the California Fire Foundation SAVE (Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency) program, he said.

The residents of the home are tenants, Anderson said, and the homeowner arrived to take possession of the house and oversee repairs.

It took crews about 15 minutes to extinguish the fire, he said, but they remained on the scene about three hours doing mop-up, ventilating the house and removing belongings that could be saved.

Damage is estimated at $85,000.

This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 8:20 AM with the headline "Lesson from Modesto blaze: Don’t use blanket to extinguish grease fire."