KANNAPOLIS — Kannapolis firefighters responded to a working house fire on New Year’s Day at 2118 Lane St.  
Units arrived on scene at 12:08 p.m. Fire damaged the kitchen, and smoke damaged other areas of the home as well.
One occupant suffered minor injuries when attempting to extinguish the fire.
The cause was determined as unattended cooking.
The National Fire Protection Association Home Cooking Fires 2010 report shows that cooking fires have been the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries since the 1990s.
The NFPA and Kannapolis Fire Department recommend the following cooking safety tips:
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, broiling or grilling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding a lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. Leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
• In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
For more information on these and other fire safety tips, call Maria Bostian, fire and life safety educator, at 704-920-4260.