ROCHESTER, Minn. – Apartment residents put out a cooking fire late Sunday night.

The Rochester Fire Department was called to 1148 5th Avenue SE at 11:45 pm. Five crews responded, along with Rochester police and Gold Cross Ambulance, but they arrived to find the flames already out. A pan of oil on a kitchen stove caught fire and was extinguished using water, which officials say it not the recommended way to deal with an oil or grease fire.

The flames damaged the stove, range hood, and a nearby cabinet. There was also smoke damage, limited mostly to the kitchen.
Firefighters ventilated the upstairs and downstairs apartments until air quality returned to normal levels. Four residents declined to be evaluated for smoke inhalation. The Fire Department also searched for the residents’ two cats but only one was found.

The fire did an estimated $4,000 in damage and officials say both the downstairs and upstairs apartments are still livable.

The cause of the fire has been ruled an accident.