Fire caused by food left on stove displaces 11 in Woodbridge

A kitchen fire early Thursday displaced 11 people and left a resident with minor injuries in the County Center Crossing Apartments in Woodbridge.

Fire crews were called to the 13000 block of Tanazari Way at 4:43 a.m. and arrived to find a kitchen fire extinguished by the building’s automatic sprinkler system.

The apartment’s occupant was cooking food on the stove but fell asleep, Prince William County fire and rescue said in a news release. Smoke detectors activated and alerted the resident, who suffered a minor injury attempting to remove the food from the stove. No other injuries were reported.

A total of four apartments sustained water damage, displacing 10 adults and one child. All were assisted by the American Red Cross.

The Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed the cause of the fire was unattended cooking, the release said.

"This incident demonstrated the importance of working smoke detectors and the effectiveness of automatic sprinkler systems," the release said. "The Fire Marshal’s Office continues the emphasis of never leaving food unattended while cooking."