LAFAYETTE PARISH — A family of four escaped safely Friday afternoon after a kitchen fire spread through their home in the 800 block of Alice Drive.
Firefighters arrived within five minutes of the 1:30 p.m. call and found flames coming from the kitchen. The fire had already spread into the attic and began venting through the roof. Crews brought the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, but the house sustained heavy damage.
Investigators say the fire started when cooking oil ignited in a skillet as someone was preparing to fry fish. The family tried to put out the fire before leaving the smoke-filled home and calling 911.
Officials determined the fire was accidental and are reminding residents to stay near the stove when cooking and never leave pots or pans unattended.
