Preventing Cooking Fires
Tips to protect you, your home and your possessions

There are more than 100,000 kitchen fires a year in America. Many could have been avoided if the homeowners knew how to prevent them or how to deal with them once the fire started. The following are a few precautions to help protect you and your home.

Preventing a Fire

Never leave cooking unattended

A "watched pot" may never boil, but an unwatched one will surely create a fire. Four out of ten kitchen fires are attributed to unattended stoves.

Keep flammable objects away

Dish towels, window curtains and food packaging should be kept well away from an open flame and heat. Pot holders should be within reach in case you have to move a hot pan quickly, but should be kept at a safe distance.

Clean up grease

After cooking surfaces have cooled down, clean all surfaces to prevent grease build-up, which can ignite.

Turn pot handles

Always turn pot handles inward and never let them extend over the front of the stove top. Children and adults can easily bump them or accidentally pull them down.

Wear appropriate clothing

Never wear loose, long-sleeve shirts or blouses when cooking. They can catch fire or hook onto a pot handle.

Dealing with a Fire

Cover the pan

If a pan catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan and turn off the stove. The lid will prevent air from feeding the flame. Do not remove the lid until it has cooled down.

Keep oven doors closed

If something in a microwave or conventional oven catches fire, turn off the power/heat and leave the door to the oven shut. If the flames do not go out immediately, call the fire department.

Fire extinguishers

Use only a dry chemical, multi-purpose fire extinguisher (labeled A, B & C type). Check the charge level at least annually. Keep it in an accessible location and know how to operate the extinguisher before you need to use it (follow the manufacturers instructions).

Stand 6 to 8 feet away from the fire and direct the spray toward the base of the flame using a sweeping motion. But, be aware that most home models discharge completely in only 8 to 10 seconds.

Never pour water on a grease fire, as it will only spread the fire.

Call the Fire Department

Err on the side of caution by calling your Fire Department. Fires can quickly get out of control and toxic fumes and heat can incapacitate you in seconds.

Know the phone number of your local Fire Department and keep it next to the phone. Make sure all children in the household also know what number to call in the event of a fire.

Put your address on the phone, in the event a visitor has to make the call and needs to identify your house to the Fire Department.