The McKinney Fire Department (MFD) responded to an incident at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Retreat at Stonebridge Ranch, 1920 Grassmere Lane, for an appliance fire and water flow alarm.

Upon arrival, first responders discovered there was a grease fire and the fire sprinkler system had activated, extinguishing the fire in the apartment kitchen. A single sprinkler head is credited for the minimal fire damage, saving an estimated $1.5 million in property loss and reinforcing the value of fire sprinkler systems in residential structures.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was determined to be unattended cooking.

“Another sprinkler save successfully demonstrates the effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems in a residential apartment building. Undoubtedly, this single sprinkler activation prevented a major loss,” said Deputy Fire Marshal Andrew Barr. “Further, this reinforces the recommendation to not leave the kitchen area while cooking at any time.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), kitchen fires account for 49 percent of all home fires and fire injuries with unattended cooking being a factor in 33 percent of all kitchen fires.

For additional information on fire protection systems, code requirements or other fire prevention topics, visit www.mckinneyfire.org or call 972-547-2862.