CHINA GROVE — A home alarm system helped firefighters get a jump on a fire that broke out Wednesday in the kitchen of a house on Lauren Glenn Drive.

Damage to the house was limited to the stove and hood area of the kitchen and estimated at about $2,500, a press release from the China Grove Fire Department said.

Homeowner Shelia Deal wasn't at her home at 1026 Lauren Glenn Drive when the fire started around 12:45 p.m. She told firefighters that she'd left a pot of potpourri burning on the stove, the press release said.

"The monitored alarm system installed in the residence reduced the amount of damage by giving the fire department advanced notice of the fire in the early stages," the release said.

Firefighters used less than 5 gallons of a foam-and-water mix.

In addition to China Grove, firefighters from the Bostian Heights, Landis and Locke departments responded.