An oven caught fire on Sunday afternoon, March 2, in Brewster Hall when a resident left the self-cleaning function on. Smoke poured out into the building’s hallway.
The Calgary Fire Department responded to the fire alarm just after 2:00 p.m.
The fire was contained inside the oven and firefighters quickly extinguished it.
The building was evacuated and five nearby residents moved to the dining centre while the fire department ventilated the building and tested air quality.
Calgary Fire Department public information officer Carol Henke says the fire department responds to at least one kitchen fire every day.
“Any time you turn something on that creates a lot of heat in the kitchen, it should be attended,” Henke says.
Because kitchen fires are so common, the theme for last year’s North American wide Fire Prevention Week was preventing them.