October 2, 2008 - Cooking Fire Damages Home in West Shreveport

Family Escapes Unharmed

A homeowner’s simple negligence is the cause of a kitchen fire at 3508 Mackey Lane on Thursday night in west Shreveport. Iesha McDonald admitted to investigators to being distracted and leaving heated grease unattended on the stove, and did not realize the extent until the house began to fill with smoke.

Shreveport Fire Department Chief Training Officer Brian Hollins, a 27 year veteran, was off duty and saw heavy smoke coming from the nearby home. Before the fire crews arrived, Hollins said that he made sure that everyone was out of the house. He quickly retrieved a dry chemical fire extinguisher from a neighbor’s house, entered the smoke-filled home and contained the fire in the kitchen area until fire crews could arrive and completely extinguish the fire. It took firefighters 15 minutes to extinguish the fire. Fire Chief Brian Crawford said, “Chief Hollins’ quick-thinking actions reflect his character and dedication to his job and the citizens of Shreveport.”

This unfortunate incident occurs a few days before the City of Shreveport will observe National Fire Prevention Week. The theme is “Prevent Home Fires.” All citizens should be reminded to use simple, common sense practices in the kitchen. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking fires is the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

The Shreveport Fire Department makes the following recommendations:

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking
• If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the heat
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove top
• Keep stovetop clean and clear of excess grease
• Never wear loose fitting clothing while cooking
• Always use approved cooking equipment
• Never pour water onto a grease fire but turn the burner off, if possible
• Do not allow children to play near appliances when cooking