Independence woman injured in house fire when flames spread from BBQ grill
An Independence woman was injured in a house fire caused by an unattended barbecue grill, according to the Independence Fire Department.
Independence firefighters responded to a home on the 19300 block of E. 31st Terrace S. around 12:30 p.m. Friday, following reports that a house fire had started with people trapped inside, according to a news release from battalion chief Eric Michel.
Firefighters reported heavy fire at the front of the house, including throughout the garage. Several members of the homeowner’s family were in the house during the fire but were quickly evacuated, according to Michel.
One woman was transported to a local hospital with heavy burns on her face, according to Michel.
An average of 11,421 house fires per year involved unattended backyard grills, hibachis or barbecues between 2017 and 2021, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.
Between 20% and 25% of these fires started because the grill was not clean, according to the NFPA.
