Photos: Kitchen Fire Forces Fridley Family from Home

A Fridley family who had just finished tornado-related repairs to their home got hit by a kitchen fire Monday morning.

Shortly before 10 a.m., the call went out to the four fire departments covering the Fridley area: a house fire at 6545 Monroe St. NE, Fridley. 

Within minutes Fridley Assistant Chief John Crelly was on the scene, followed closely by Kim Herrmann and Walt Messer on Fridley Engine 3, with Columbia Heights, Spring Lake Park and St. Anthony Village not far behind.

Herrmann and Messer entered the home of Jon and Angela Williams and quickly put out the fire.

Angela Williams, visibly shaken, was in and out of the home trying to retrieve needed items for their family.

"We just recently finished all the repairs needed due to the tornado in May," she said. "Now this."

While the kitchen was destroyed and smoke damage throughout the home, there were no injuries—even their kids' pet fish was swimming happily when brought outside.

"We'll be OK," Angela Williams said as she called the pharmacy to replace presciptions and the children's inhalers that melted in the heat.

Crelly and Herrmann had no immediate determination as to what caused the fire; they were continuing the investigation.

The family is insured. A disaster-repair company arrived to survey the damage.

"We'll be staying with family," Jon Williams said when asked if they needed help finding a place to stay. "We'll be fine."