WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is citing unattended cooking as the reason for a fire in an apartment building Monday morning.

 At 9:17 a.m., WFPS responded to reports of a fire in a three-storey apartment building in the 400 block of Kennedy Street. 

When crews arrived, firefighters encountered smoke coming from the building. WFPS said an offensive attack was launched and declared the fire under control at 9:45 a.m.

Paramedics assessed one patient on scene but further treatment wasn't necessary.

No damage estimates are available, but WFPS said most of the damage was contained to the suite where the fire started.

A preliminary investigation suggests the fire started as a result of unattended cooking. 

WFPS is residents of the following safety strategies:

• Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. Stove burners should always be turned off when leaving the kitchen, even for a short time.

• Anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — should always be kept away from the stovetop.

• Oil should always be heated slowly. If cooking oil catches fire and the fire is small and manageable, use a kitchen fire extinguisher or cover the pot with a metal lid. Never use water to put out an oil fire. (Source: WFPS)