A Wednesday evening house fire in Gordon County displaced a family and caused thousands of dollars in damage after investigators say an unattended air fryer caught fire.
According to Gordon County Fire Rescue Chief Heath Derryberry, firefighters were dispatched around 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, to a home in the Hunters Crossing subdivision off Boone Ford Road in Calhoun.
A preliminary investigation determined that the home’s occupants had been using an air fryer in the kitchen before briefly leaving it unattended. When they returned, they discovered the appliance had caught fire.
The occupants attempted to extinguish the flames themselves, but Chief Derryberry said the fire and smoke quickly became too intense to control, prompting a call to emergency responders.
Firefighters responded and brought the blaze under control, but the home sustained thousands of dollars in damage. The residents were displaced by the fire and are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.
Following the incident, Chief Derryberry urged residents to use caution when operating countertop cooking appliances, including air fryers, toaster ovens and slow cookers. He also reminded the public to unplug countertop appliances when they are not in use to help reduce the risk of fire.
The fire remains under investigation, but officials say the preliminary findings indicate the unattended air fryer was the cause of the blaze.