Kitchen fire rips through elderly woman's home

SEATTLE -- A kitchen fire at an elderly woman's home ripped through woodwork and caused $100,000 in damage shortly after midnight Thursday.

According to the Skyway Fire Department, neighbors called emergency workers at 12:02 a.m. with reports of smoke in the 12000 block of 69 Avenue South, just west of Skyway Park. Firefighters from Skyway, Tukwila, Renton and officers from King County Medic One responded to the call. Firefighters managed to put out the growing blaze quickly, but the house was considered a total loss.

Investigators found the fire started when an elderly woman's kitchen caught fire while she was cooking a meal. The woman was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

Skyway Fire Spokesperson Dave Nelson said cooking fires were the number one cause of fire in his district.  He reminded residents to watch over their food while cooking.