An 80-year-old resident of the Lake St. Charles Retirement Community at 45 Honey Locust Lane in St. Charles was injured Monday morning after a fire broke out in her apartment.

The woman was treated on the scene for minor smoke inhalation and transported to SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles for further evaluation.

According to Capt. Dan Casey of the St. Charles Fire Department, the woman was attempting to boil water to make tea but accidentally turned on the wrong burner on her stove. That ignited nearby combustibles.

The woman tried to extinguish the fire, but said "it quickly grew out of control," according to Casey. She was able to notify the apartment staff as she escaped her apartment. The staff acted quickly to contact the fire department and evacuate the affected wing of the building.

The sprinkler system had activated and kept the fire from spreading. The staff kept the door to the apartment closed to prevent the smoke from entering the hallway while other residents were being evacuated.

The fire was extinguished quickly and contained to the kitchen of the woman's apartment. Water damage was limited to the apartment the fire was in and one unit below on the first floor.

The St. Charles Fire Department recommends that all combustibles be kept at least 36 inches from any heat source.