Grease fire guts apartment

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Eldorado firefighters extinguished a fire that began with burning grease and ended with a nearly gutted apartment.

Firefighters got the call 9:35 p.m. Tuesday and arrived 9:38 p.m. at 2001 Old Broughton Road to find a basement apartment rented by Marcus Earvin fully involved.

"It just about burned everything down if we hadn't gone down and gone after it," Fire Chief Mike McKinnies said.

The 23 firefighters, two engines and service company were on the scene until 11:01 p.m.

Smoke entered walls and caused smoke damage to some apartments upstairs. Smoke also reached the attic.

Irvin, his wife, Liz, and 5-year-old child were unhurt, but lost all their possessions. They are being aided by American Red Cross, McKinnies said.

McKinnies said the fire began as a grease fire on the kitchen stove.

Curt Anderson is the owner of the apartment complex.