Teen victim identified in house fire that started with deep fryer

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A Warren teenager is killed in a house fire after deep fryer in the garage sparked the blaze.

Mayor Jim Fouts wants to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again.Christina Lee was supposed to be starting her senior year at Warren Fitzgerald High School. Instead, her family is coping with losing her and their home.

Mayor Jim Fouts believes the fire and this tragedy could have been prevented.

"It's a horrendous tragedy," Fouts said.

The fire started in this garage, oil from a deep fryer ignited that spread to the house, trapping Lee in the basement.

Ten other people living in the roughly 1,600 square-foot house, made it out in time but Lee died of smoke inhalation.

"Our city which is a diverse city, is changing and people are starting to cook in their garage," Fouts said. "And that's just a dangerous thing because you're in an enclosed area."

The family who lived there is Vietnamese, cooking ethnic dishes in their garage.

"I'm looking at an ordinance, and educating the public," Fouts said. "I think it's important we educate the public, because we have a lot of people moving in from the Middle East. They're moving in from Asian countries and this may be a cultural trait that for some reason they brought with them."

Fouts is already speaking with the City attorney on how to make Warren homes safer,

Meanwhile at Fitzgerald high school, counseling will be available Wednesday for all students and community members, seeking help with the loss.