Meal times are the most cherished part of the day for many people, but preparing a meal also has its risks. Cooking has long been the most common cause of fires in American homes, with kitchen fires accounting for half of all home fires – nearly 173,000 per year. These fires cause 21% of all home fire deaths, 44% of all home fire injuries and cause $1.2 billion in property damage each year. These numbers don’t even consider the added emotional toll of losing treasured possessions or having to rebuild your life if your home is destroyed.
The good news is that by learning how to prevent kitchen fires you can significantly reduce your risk. In addition to always having a fire extinguisher handy, below are fire safety tips for your everyday kitchen appliances.
Cooking meals at home can be healthy, cost-effective, and a great way for households to connect with each other. By making sure you use cooking appliances as intended, keeping your attention focused on what you’re cooking, and keeping a fire extinguisher near-by, you can also keep yourself and your home safe from fire danger.
A variety of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistical and research reports about home or residential property fires during the period 2008 – 2023 were referenced in the writing of this article.
For more home fire safety information, download our free comprehensive guide Fire Sense: A Smart Way to Prevent, Detect and Escape Home Fires.
Another basic kitchen tool to use is a large pot lid. If you are using a frying pan on the stove and it’s contents catch fire, as long as it is in the starting stages, still small and has not spread to the surrounding area and cabinets, simply putting the lid over top of the frying pan will cut off oxygen which will stop the fire in what you are cooking. You might destroy the lid, but that is better than loosing your home. Remember the TRIANGLE of fire, 1 side is the object that burns, 2 is the heat source and the 3rd is the oxygen. Take away any 1 of these 3 and fire will not start or continue to burn.
Thanks for the advise
While it’s the obvious, it never hurts to refresh. We will buy a ladder for the bedroom window. Our housewarming gift will now be a fire extinguisher and this article.
Seems like common since. Pay attention to what you are doing.
Thank you.