Ferndale Firefighters Respond to Electrical Fire on Withington

The responded to a house fire on Withington Street on Wednesday morning that left the homeowner with up to $5,000 in damage.

No one was hurt in the fire, which is still under investigation, Fire Chief Kevin Sullivan said. It appears to have been an accidental electrical fire originating at the oven, he said.

"The person had put something to cook into the oven and went to take a shower," Sullivan said. Afterward, he noticed smoke and found the kitchen was on fire.

The homeowners are out of town and the person in the home was house-sitting at the time.

Sullivan said the cause may have been faulty wiring or a short and doesn't appear to be the result of anything the resident did. He suggests homeowners have an electrician inspect their house every so often and check for overloaded circuits.

"That's always a good idea every couple of years," he said.

Smoke damage to the house along with destroyed appliances total around $3,000-$5,000, Sullivan said.