Kitchen fire causes $50K in damage to Northwest Rochester home
May 22—ROCHESTER — The Rochester Fire Department responded to a kitchen fire on Monday afternoon, May 22, 2023, in Northwest Rochester.
When crews arrived on the 2000 block of 15th Avenue Northwest around 12:45 p.m. on Monday, there were active flames in the kitchen. Firefighter Chad Kuhlman said the fire looked the crew in the face as they entered the back door of the home.
The home's occupants were not inside. The Fire Department reported significant fire and smoke damage in the kitchen as well as light smoke damage throughout the home. The damages are estimated at $50,000.
The Rochester Police Department and Rochester Fire Department briefly closed the block as crews quickly extinguished the fire. The Mayo Clinic Ambulance also responded to the scene. One person was treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"The leading cause of structure fires in Minnesota last year was cooking. Cooking fires caused an average of $4.5 million in damage each of the last five years in Minnesota. The top two factors last year in cooking fires were unattended equipment and combustibles too close to a heat source," according to a statement from the Rochester Fire Department.
