The Gem Apartments building in Corvallis was evacuated for about 45 minutes Sunday after food left unattended on a stove on the building’s second floor filled it with smoke.
Kevin Fulsher, a battalion chief with Corvallis Fire Department, said crews were called out at 11:57 a.m., and firefighters were on the scene within three minutes. He said although reports suggested there was smoke but no fire, he wanted more than the crew of three who initially responded to clear the building, so he called in more support. In all, five fire engines responded.
“It’s a big building and we wanted to take precautions, that’s why we spooled up,” he said. Fulsher said the food was left in a locked apartment and when a crew was assembled to go into the building, firefighters had to kick down a door to get to it. He said there may never have been any actual fire and there was not enough heat to activate the building’s sprinkler systems. Firefighters removed the food from the stove and turned the stove off, he said.