An apparent grease fire started by unattended food cooking on the stove damaged a kitchen at an apartment complex on South Seminole drive late Wednesday evening.

According to East Ridge Fire Chief Mike Williams, firefighters were dispatched to the complex on a fire alarm at 915 South Seminole Dr. just before 10:30 p.m. When they arrived they encountered heavy smoke coming from apartment 17. Everyone in the apartment were out and no one was hurt.

Chief Williams said the fire was contained to the kitchen and extinguished. Crews ventilated the fire, apartment and other adjacent apartments to remove the smoke. Crews then conducted salvage and overhaul to check for fire extension.

The cause of the fire appears to be from unattended cooking, where grease had ignited on the stove top, Chief Williams said. Damages were estimated to be $7,000.