A kitchen fire damaged an apartment in The Dalles on Monday.  Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue Chief Bob Palmer says the fire occurred at around 8:30 Monday morning at 1721 East 12th.  He says the occupant of the apartment left a burner in the kitchen unattended while doing laundry, and when that person returned found the entire kitchen on fire.  Palmer noted the resident used extinguishers and buckets of water to help quell the fire before crews arrived.  Palmer says the apartment in which the fire occurred was uninhabitable afterwards with the kitchen gutted, but residents of other apartments in the building where able to return to their homes.  Palmer indicated there was the potential for some water damage in the apartment directly below, and light smoke and odor went into upper apartments.