Unattended Cooking Results In Smoke Damage On West Side

A west side resident was preheating some cooking oil on the stovetop when she stepped outside to talk to a relative.
 
Twenty minutes later she returned to the kitchen, lifted the lid, and black smoke rolled out of the pot, filling the kitchen.
 
She placed the pot in the sink as smoke detectors activated. Meanwhile, a neighbor smelled the smoke and called 911.
 
When firefighters arrived four minutes later and spoke with the occupant, she reported there was never any active fire. Crews determined this to be true and inspected the area for hot spots.
 
The ceiling tiles in the area sustained smoke damage, and damage estimates are at approximately $500-$750 for clean-up and replacement.