Most people think of kitchen fires as rare accidents. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says they are the single most common cause of home fires in America. Cooking equipment accounts for an estimated 147,400 residential fires every year and is associated with the largest share of fire-related injuries, an estimated 3,450 injuries annually. Unattended cooking is the number one cause of cooking fires.
How Kitchen Fires Start
The most common scenarios that lead to kitchen fires include:
- Leaving food cooking on the stovetop or in the oven unattended
- Wearing loose or baggy sleeves that can catch fire from a burner
- Allowing grease and food residue to accumulate on the stovetop or in the oven
- Leaving flammable materials such as potholders, paper towels, and dish towels near active burners
- Leaving the stovetop on after cooking is complete
- Children playing near or accessing the stovetop unsupervised
Safety Tips
- Always stay in the kitchen when cooking. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires — if you must leave the kitchen even briefly, turn off the burner.
- Keep an eye on your cooking at all times. Grease and oil can reach ignition temperature quickly and without visible warning.
- Wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing is a significant fire hazard near open flames and hot burners.
- Keep stovetops clean and free of grease and food residue. Built-up grease is a fire accelerant.
- Keep curtains, towels, potholders, and all flammable materials well away from burners at all times — both when in use and when not in use.
- Do not leave anything on a stovetop you are not actively using, particularly flammable items.
- Double check that all burners are turned completely off when you finish cooking.
- Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Cover the pan with a lid or use a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires.
- Keep a working kitchen fire extinguisher accessible and know how to use it before you need it.
- Watch children closely in the kitchen and teach older children to cook safely. Never allow young children to stand on a stool near active burners.
- Install a smoke alarm in or immediately adjacent to the kitchen and test it monthly.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, visit SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC’s Hotline at 800-638-2772.
Source: https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/home-fire/recipe-safer-cooking
