A fire Monday that displaced tenants in four apartments on Olivia Street was caused when a frying pan with grease in it was left on a stove, Fire Marshal Phil Hawks said Tuesday.
An elderly woman on the first floor had been cooking and thought a burner on her stove was turned off. It wasn’t — and a fire started on top of the oven.
It quickly spread into the walls of the 121 year-old multi-family house and out the roof.
Luckily, three people inside the house managed to get out without injuries.
The house is uninhabitable, Hawks said. Gas and electric service was turned off and the windows were boarded.
The fire was reported at about 12:48 p.m.
Initial reports from people at the scene saying the woman had fallen while cooking were not correct.
The call came in as 182 Olivia — but property tax records listed the home as being 180 Olivia. The listed owner is Louise Vitello.
The house had four apartments — two apartments on the second floor and one each on the first and third floors.
There were functioning smoke detectors throughout the house, Hawks said.
