Kitchen Fires

Battalion Chief Allred's Weekly Post

Cooking Fires are the number one cause of home fires and fire injuries.

There are many things that can cause a cooking fire:
Dirty Stove top or oven.

The built up grease and food residue can catch fire once it gets hot enough.
Leaving items too close to the stove, or on the stove can start fires.

Animals playing on or around a stove.

One of the worst causes of kitchen fires is grease fires.

There are several things you can do to help prevent kitchen fires:

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food.
• Be alert and do not use the stove or stove-top if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol. 
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stove-top.
• Remove as much moisture as possible from the food before putting it in hot oil. Do not put frozen foods into hot grease.
• Keep the grease at the recommended temperature. If you see any smoke or the oil smells, it is an indication that it is too hot. Immediately turn off the burner to let it cool down.
• Heat the oil slowly.
• Add food gently to prevent splatter. 
• Keep a lid near the pan you're cooking with so that it is accessible if a fire starts.
• Always keep children away from the stove while cooking.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
• Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis.
• Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home.
• Keep class K or B extinguisher in your kitchen.

IF A GREASE FIRE STARTS:

1. Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet. Leave the cover on until it has cooled.
2. Turn off the heat source. 
3. If it’s small and manageable, pour baking soda or salt on it to smother the fire.
4. As a last resort, spray the fire with a Class B or K fire extinguisher.
5. Do not try to extinguish the fire with water.
6. Do not attempt to move the pot or pan outside. 

Do not use flour, baking powder or other cooking powders that resemble baking soda or salt – they have a different chemical makeup and will not react similarly. They will make the fire worse.

It’s also important to remember that three out of five non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victim tried to fight the fire themselves. The most common injuries sustained were burns to the hands and lower arms. 

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE GREASE FIRE:

1. GET OUT! You and your family members need to leave as soon as you can to prevent injury or loss of life. Do not try to be a hero.
2. Close the door as you leave to help contain the fire.
3. Call 911 as soon as you are at a safe distance from the fire. 
4. Do not re-enter your home until the fire has been contained by firefighters. 

Here are some Prevention sites you can look at for more info:

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Fire-Prevention-Week/Cook-Safely
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/

Making sure your home is as safe as possible from a kitchen fire is a must. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your local fire department.