- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Orange Today
By the People, for the People
Unattended Grill Sparks Fire, Burns Patio Roof in Mutual 15
No injuries reported as fire damages storage closet and nearby walls in residential community.
Published on Feb. 24, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
An unattended barbecue grill caught fire on a Mutual 15 patio in Orange, California, causing damage to a storage closet, nearby walls, and the unit's patio roof. Four fire engines responded to the scene and extinguished the blaze, with no injuries reported.
Why it matters
Cooking fires are a leading cause of home fires and injuries, often occurring when people leave cooking appliances unattended. This incident highlights the importance of fire safety precautions, especially when using grills and other heated cooking devices.
The details
According to a Security report, the owner of the barbecue grill had been using it to cook steaks. On February 8th around 5:35 p.m., the resident put something on the grill and then went inside his unit, fell asleep, and left the grill unattended. This resulted in the grill catching fire and damaging the patio roof, storage closet, and a nearby wall.
- On February 8th around 5:35 p.m., the unattended grill caught fire.
- Four fire engines reported to the scene and suppressed the fire.
The players
Orange County Fire Authority
The fire department that responded to the incident and provided fire safety recommendations.
Mutual 15 resident
The owner of the barbecue grill that caused the fire.
What they’re saying
“People should never leave food cooking unattended on grills, stovetops or any other heated cooking device for frying, grilling or broiling. Forgetfulness can have dire consequences.”
— Paul Kryczko (lwweekly.com)
What’s next
The Orange County Fire Authority is investigating the incident and providing fire safety recommendations to the community.
The takeaway
This incident underscores the importance of fire safety when using cooking appliances, especially grills. Residents should always stay vigilant and never leave cooking food unattended to prevent potentially devastating fires.
