Wife Injured When Man Tries To Bring Grease Fire Under Control
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man trying to keep a fire from getting out of control inside his home Thursday on Eleanor Street in Pittsburgh's South Side Slopes neighborhood ended up making it worse.
Frank Gaito ran through his home with a flaming pot trying to get out the back door before anyone got hurt. Instead, both he and his wife were injured.
Gaito says his mother-in-law was cooking when the pot caught fire. He had been sleeping, but suddenly sprung to his feet.
"I tried putting it out and it wouldn't go out, so I tried carrying it out the back door and I fell going out the door and all the grease spilled on my wife on her legs," said Gaito.
His wife, Jennifer Whisner was taken to the hospital with severe burns to her legs. She is listed in fair condition.
Investigators say the mother-in-law was cooking hash browns and tried to put out the fire by dousing the flames with flour, but that only made the more intense.
Detective Michael Burns of the Pittsburgh Arson Squad says this is what you should do.
"If you can shut the stove off, call 911. If you got baking powder, put that on it, and don't throw any other powders on it. Other than that, get out of the house and call 911."
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