An unattended cooking fire on a stove ignited a blaze that charred the kitchen of a Turlock residence.

The fire occurred in a second-story apartment at 1144 Pioneer Avenue in Turlock at 10:46 a.m. Tuesday.

The first crews to arrive at the scene found dark, grey smoke coming from the upper unit. The fire had raced up one wall and the cabinets, but the residents were able to extinguish most of it by using a portable dry-chemical fire extinguisher mounted on the outside wall of the complex, according the Turlock Fire Department.

“After the fire was knocked down, firefighters overhauled the fire area and checked the upper areas of the kitchen for extension,” said Turlock Fire Chief Robert Talloni.

Turlock firefighters ventilated the remaining smoke from the apartment and ensured there were no medical needs on scene. The apartment residents had escaped unharmed.

The fire department determined the fire was ignited by a cooking fire on the stove that had been unattended. The fire department stated this was the fourth cooking fire they had been dispatched to over the last week. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Turlock Fire Department reminds the community to remain in the kitchen and keep an eye on the stove when cooking.

Turlock Fire responded with two Division Chiefs, one Battalion Chief, two Engine Companies and one Ladder Truck. The American Red Cross was requested to provide some assistance for the occupants.