An apartment sprinkler system did its job Sunday afternoon, preventing a fire from taking over the building, officials said.
Firefighters were called about 3 p.m. to 512 Third Ave. S.W., where they discovered food left unattended on a stovetop had ignited grease, then the cabinetry in the kitchen, said Larry Mueller, assistant fire marshal.
The sprinklers were already on when crews arrived, he said, effectively dousing the flames.
"They kept the damage down, no question," Mueller said, though smoke and water damage displaced the apartment's residents.
No one was home at the time; damage was estimated at $5,000.
