The Harrisonburg Fire Department responded to an apartment complex on Vale Circle on September 25, 2013 for a report of a possible structure fire in the kitchen.  Upon arrival, fire department personnel found that a Stovetop Firestop® mounted in the exhaust hood had extinguished the fire.  Additionally, an occupant had used a portable fire extinguisher, after cooking oil caught fire on the stove. 

The Stovetop Firestop® devices in this apartment were recently given to the occupants by the Harrisonburg Fire Department through a FEMA grant the Department received.

HFD has recently received a grant from Firehouse Subs to continue the distribution of Stovetop Firestops. Any resident of Harrisonburg is eligible to receive these devices. Call the Harrisonburg Fire Department at 540-432-7703 for information on how to receive a free pair of Stovetop Firestops®.

Cooking is the leading cause of residential structure fires. Always be attentive and tend to cooking activities, have working smoke alarms, and a home fire exit plan.