Press release from Humboldt Bay Fire:

At 3:28 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, Humboldt Bay Fire units were dispatched to report of a home on fire on the 1400 block of Ridgewood Drive.

Engine 8112 was the first of six units to arrive on scene and found a moderate amount of dark smoke drifting from the front door. The homeowner had already evacuated and stated there was no one else inside which crews confirmed with a thorough search.

The crews attacking the fire found that it was confined to the kitchen and, after mitigating some hazards in the area, crews were able to knock down the fire quickly. Once the fire was completely extinguished they cleared the residence of smoke and the building was turned back over to the homeowner.

After an investigation, it was determined that cooking oil had been left heating on the stove which led to smoke and, eventually, an accidental fire. The damage to the home is estimated to be a total of $45,000 including damage to the structure itself and its contents.

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to remind the public to never leave your cooking unattended. Cooking fires are the #1 cause of fires both here in HBF’s jurisdiction and across the nation. Cooking fires are largely accidental and can happen to anyone. Don’t let it happen to you – stay in the kitchen while you are cooking and always set timers to remind you to check on your food.

Humboldt Bay Fire would also like to thank our partners at California Highway Patrol and Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office who helped assist us on this incident.