Kitchen Fires on Maple Ave. Damage Home, Send Tenant to Hospital

Kitchen fires struck two Maple Avenue homes in downtown Riverhead on Saturday morning, sending one woman to the hospital for smoke inhalation and severely damaging the other home.

At 6:11 a.m. the Riverhead Fire Department responded to a fire at the corner of Maple Avenue and Second Street. The home, occupied by Verna Campbell, a receptionist at town hall, and her daughter, caught fire after Campbell was making tea in the kitchen, said Riverhead Third Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Brooks. Boxes fell onto the stove when Campbell went to brush her teeth, Brooks said, causing a fire that quickly spread throughout the house.

Campbell, her daughter, and their pet dog escaped the home unharmed. However, the home suffered severe damage from the fire and the Campbell's three cats died in the blaze. Campbell is staying with Town Clerk Diane Wilhelm after the fire destroyed her home.

"[Campbell is] a friend and a dear person and anybody who knows her has to like her," said Wilhelm, who's worked with Campbell at Town Hall for more than 13 years. Campbell could not be reached for comment

A second kitchen fire started at 10:33 a.m. at another Maple Avenue home when a toaster caught fire, Brooks said. Unlike the blaze at the Campbell's home, the fire was contained to the kitchen, according to fire officials. The tenant of the home was sent to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, the chief said. An update on the victim's condition was unavailable.

Later, at 2 p.m., the Fire Department also responded to a gas leak from a vehicle parked at the John Wesley Apartment Complex. The situation was quickly brought under control with no reported injuries, Brooks said.