Stove fire causes significant damage to east Wichita home kitchen

by: Stephanie Nutt

Posted: Jun 6, 2023 / 09:46 PM CDT

Updated: Jun 7, 2023 / 04:44 PM CDT

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A fire caused by a stove significantly damaged a kitchen in an east Wichita home Tuesday night.

The fire happened around 7:45 p.m. in the 600 block of Lexington Road.

According to Wichita Fire Department Acting Battalion Chief Nicholas Woods, crews found heavy smoke coming from the front of the house. While circulating the house, they found a heavy fire coming from the back of the house.

"[The] fire had started in the kitchen, and it was extending out into the back of the home," Woods said.

He said the fire was started by a stove.

"They had went outside and thought they had shut off the stove, and it inadvertently, accidentally got left on, which was where the fire started there in the kitchen," said Woods.

The fire spread to other parts of the home.

"So pretty significant damage in the kitchen area. Fire extended into the living room a little bit, and it also started to extend out the hallway into bedrooms, but they got a pretty good knock on it and got it out kinda before it got any further outside of kind of the kitchen and living room area," Woods said.

He said those at the home knew the stove knobs had some issues.

"If you happen to know you have a known issue like that, especially if you know you’re going to step outside for any period of time, the best option there is just to go ahead and just completely turn it off," said Woods.

Three adults who were home at the time of the fire were uninjured. Woods said no firefighters were injured either.

Loss estimates totaled $30,000 to structure and contents.