Cooking Fire Causes $50K In Damages To Santa Cruz Apartment

SANTA CRUZ, CA – A kitchen fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage to an apartment in Santa Cruz on Tuesday night, fire officials said.

Firefighters responded at 9:21 p.m. to the fire reported at 137 Chestnut St. and found the flames had been extinguished by sprinklers in the apartment before they arrived.

Fire crews turned off the sprinklers and helped to salvage belongings and remove water from the apartment as well as two units below it, fire officials said.

The blaze was apparently caused by cooking oil that ignited while someone was frying food, according to the fire department.

No injuries were reported but the fire has left five people displaced, fire officials said.

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