By Kathy Chaffin
kchaffin@salisburypost.com
The fire that gutted a duplex at 633 S. Caldwell St. Wednesday evening has been ruled accidental, according to Salisbury Fire Battalion Chief Chris Kepley.
Kepley said an occupant of the apartment in which the fire started “was cooking and had turned on the wrong burner, igniting an adjacent pan of cooking oil.”
Cynthia Foster said at the scene the knobs on the stove were difficult to read and she thought she had accidentally turned on the wrong one.
Salisbury Fire Department crews arrived at the scene at 6:42 p.m., just five minutes after the fire was called in to Rowan 911 Communications by Shirley Boger, who resided in the other apartment.
Foster and another resident of the apartment in which the fire started were both evaluated by Rowan Emergency Medical Service employees, but required no treatment or transport.
A firefighter was also evaluated for a minor injury, Kepley said, but did not require treatment or transport.
Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters established a water supply and entered the duplex. They achieved a knockdown of the original fire, she said, “and on checking for extension, found that the fire had extended into the attic area.”
Additional crews extinguished the attic fire, which had extended into the attic of the other apartment. Kepley said crews entered the adjacent apartment, where parts of the ceiling had collapsed, and performed salvage operations by placing tarps over personal belongings.
The fire was under control at 7:11 p.m. and the last crew cleared from the scene at 10:23 p.m., she said. Capt. Wayne Harkey and Capt. Doug Stevens handled the investigation
The single-story, brick duplex is owned by Don Michael. Kepley said damage to the duplex and contents, valued at $87,625, was estimated at $65,000.
All four Salisbury Fire Department stations responded to the fire and were assisted by the Spencer, Locke and Granite Quarry fire departments. Rowan County Rescue and Rowan EMS were on the scene for support and to perform necessary medical evaluations, she said.
The Hanford-Dole Chapter of the American Red Cross was notified to assist the displaced occupants.
Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-4249.