Unattended Cooking Blamed for $400K Washington House Fire

A fire department spokeswoman says food left cooking unattended on a stovetop is being blamed for a fire that caused $400,000 damage, destroying a home in Edmonds, Wash., and displacing the couple who live there.

Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said a man and his dog were inside when the fire started Tuesday afternoon but got out safely. The man’s wife was at work.

Hynes says the homeowners have insurance.

The spokeswoman says the National Fire Protection Association lists cooking as the leading cause of home fires.