On September 12, 2023, the Longview Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire in the 2200 block of 48th Avenue where one person died and another was injured in what appears to be a kitchen fire.
The first call reporting the fire was received by Cowlitz 9-1-1 at 4:11 a.m., reporting that a chair was on fire inside the house. While enroute, additional information was received indicating that smoke and flames were visible coming from the house and there was possibly an occupant still inside.
When the first fire units arrived at 4:17 a.m., heavy smoke and flames were visible coming from the back of the residence. Fire crews immediately entered the residence with hose lines to perform search and extinguishment operations. Unfortunately, during this process, the fire victim was located inside. Another occupant was able to escape the flames with burn injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
At the height of the fire, 18 firefighters in 6 fire apparatus were assigned to the incident. Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue also responded to the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, however, early indications are that the fire originated on the kitchen stove.
‘Cooking continues to be the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries and is the second leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States’, said Longview Fire Marshal Jon Dunaway.
To help prevent a cooking-related fire, Dunaway shared the following tips:
- Don’t use the stove top if you are sleepy
- Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. Turn off the stove top if you leave the kitchen even for a short period of time
- Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels – away from the stove top
The names of those involved are being withheld pending notification of family members.