CASPER, Wyo. — A house fire on the 3500 block of Meadowlark Drive has displaced a Casper resident and their pets, though no injuries have been reported from the blaze.
Casper Fire-EMS firefighters were dispatched to the home at roughly 10:45 a.m. The homeowner, upon returning from errands, found their home filled with smoke. They immediately got their pets out of the home and called 911.
Firefighters arrived to find a fire in the kitchen, and worked to extinguish the fire.
Firefighters responded to the scene with six units, the on-duty battalion chief and investigators with the Natrona County Inter-agency Fire Investigation Task Force. Crews were assisted by Banner Health Wyoming Medical Center, the Casper Police Department, telecommunicators with the Public Safety Communications Center and technicians from Rocky Mountain Power and Black Hills Energy.
Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be accidental. Family dogs, seeking leftover pizza on a stovetop, likely inadvertently ignited the stove while trying to reach the food. The pizza box ignited, with the fire extending to an above-the-stove microwave and surrounding cabinetry.
“Casper Fire-EMS takes this opportunity to remind citizens that fires originating in the kitchen, and fires due to cooking, remain a top cause of home fires,” Public Information Officer Dane Andersen said in a statement. “Do not place anything that can burn, such as towels, pot holders, utensils and yes — pizza boxes — near any source of heat.”
