One injured in south Columbia house fire

One person suffered minor burns in a south Columbia house fire Sunday night, a Columbia Fire Department news release states.

At 6:43 p.m., fire crews responded to reports of a fire at 3615 Monterey Drive and, upon arrival, found light smoke coming from the home, according to the release.

The home's occupant, Shawna Lewis, told investigators the fire started while her daughter and niece were at home. Lewis, 27, placed some oil in a pan on her kitchen stove and then left the home to go down the street for a few minutes, according to the release.

While she was away, the pan caught fire, and her niece and daughter left the home. They then located Lewis, and she returned to find flames rising from the pan onto the kitchen cabinets, the release stated.

Lewis then grasped the pan and carried it outside, spilling some of the oil on her hand in the process, the release stated.

Fire crews extinguished the fire in less than five minutes. Lewis suffered minor burns on one hand and received care from paramedics at the scene, the fire department stated. 

Damaged was estimated at $15,000, according to the release. Fire crews reported the home's smoke alarms were not functional.