Lady Luck was smiling down on a Highland County woman Wednesday night when a grease fire ignited in her home, according to Brushcreek Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief David Cruea.

Cruea said his department received a call at 9:17 p.m. reporting the fire at 11766 Butler Road, where he said two side-by-side trailers serve as a residence.

The fire chief said that because trailers tend to burn quick once they catch on fire, the resident was lucky the first time because one of Brushcreek’s newest firefighters, Brian Hatton, was on his way to the fire station to respond to the call when he noticed the fire was close to where he lives.

Cruea said Hatton happened to have a fire extinguisher in his vehicle and was able to knock down what turned out to be an unattended grease fire on a stove before other firefighters arrived on the scene.

But Hatton’s quick response might not have mattered, Cruea said, if a water line had been working at the fire victim’s residence.

Creau said the resident dumped the pan containing the grease and fire in the kitchen sink, then tried to turn the water on, but the waterline was broke.

“Here’s a perfect example of how she was very lucky, and so were we,” Cruea said. “You never pour water on a grease fire because the fire pretty much explodes and goes everywhere. Since the waterline was broke, it actually saved her because if the waterline wouldn’t have been broke, the water would have set the whole place on fire, and you know how quick trailers go up.”

In the event of a grease fire, Cruea said best the best remedy is to have a fire extinguisher on hand. But minus an extinguisher, he advised using flour or baking soda to smother the fire.

By the time other Brushcreek firefighters arrived on the scene, Cruea said the fire had been reduced to a couple embers. He said his crew cleaned the scene up and the resident did not have to leave her home.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.