LISA HOBBS - News Editor
A possible structure fire at Spangler Towers today was allegedly the result of careless cooking.
According to McMinnville Fire Department, the smoke reported by a witness bellowing from a top floor apartment came from the oven. A pizza was left unattended. Fire Chief Marty White stated that the occupant did not return home while they were on scene, and he did not know where that person went.
Statistics from the National Fire Protection Association show that cooking is the leading cause of reported home fires and the second leading cause of home fire deaths in the United States. From 2017 to 2021, cooking caused an average of 158,400 home structure fires annually, with unattended cooking identified as the top contributing factor.
The call went out at approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17.