OTTUMWA — Firefighters responded to a cooking fire at 322 East Park Avenue on Thursday, August 15, 2024. A call of fire and smoke came in at 6:16 p.m. and firefighters arrived on scene at 6:19 p.m. A cooking fire had occurred in an apartment on the third floor of one of the buildings. The fire was out upon arrival, but there was still a smoke presence. Firefighters looked for hot spots and disconnected power to the cooking appliance. Firefighters then used fans to clear up smoke in the area. ORMICS treated the two tenants on scene and both refused a trip to the hospital. The apartment was tagged as unfit for occupation due to the fire, but the property owner found other accommodations for the tenants. The fire affected no other apartments.

Firefighters would like to remind citizens that water should not be used to fight a grease fire. A metal lid or a properly rated fire extinguisher are the best ways. The fire extinguisher should be rated for a Class B fire. It will be marked on the side. Most home fire extinguishers are A, B, and C rated.