A Texas station caught fire while firefighters were out at a call over the weekend.
Temple Fire & Rescue crews at Station 5 responded to a fire shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday, the department stated in an online update. In the half hour they were away battling the fire, their station was burning.
Firefighters from neighboring stations put out the flames, and there were no injuries. A preliminary investigation determined that a pan left on the stove had ignited the fire, according to the department.
“While we are grateful no one was hurt, this incident shows the seriousness of kitchen safety,” Santos Soto, the department's public information officer, said. “A moment of complacency can quickly turn into a disaster.”
The fire damaged the kitchen, and smoke damage was present throughout the entire firehouse. Firefighters based at Station 5 will temporarily relocate to Station 8 and continue responding to calls in their district.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
