If you’re ever in the kitchen and a grease fire breaks out, the first thing to do is to turn off the burner. Cover the pan with a metal lid or use a baking sheet to put out the flames. When you can’t use a lid, use baking soda and salt. Avoid using flour, as it may cause the fire to spread. Finally, smother the fire with a wet cloth. Use oven mitts to avoid scalding yourself.
Another thing to do if you suspect a kitchen fire is to use a fire extinguisher. If you don’t have one handy, you should purchase one, and know how to use it. If the fire is too large to be extinguished by water, call the fire department. Overloaded outlets can lead to electrical fires. When in doubt, use a kitchen fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
Keeping appliances clean is essential to preventing a kitchen fire. Don’t forget to wipe out the microwave and oven regularly. If a pan burns on the stove, don’t let a child play nearby. Keep pots and pans out of reach of children. Smoke detectors are also an important safety measure in the kitchen. Make sure they’re working properly and change the batteries every six months. The more smoke detectors you have, the safer your kitchen will be.
Another thing to keep away from heat is clothing. Clothing is flammable and can catch on fire. If you’re cooking, wear a shirt that doesn’t hang over the burners. And wear an apron to protect yourself from scalding hot liquids. A kitchen fire can happen anywhere. If you’re cooking in a crowded kitchen, you can’t afford to risk it. It’s better to avoid a fire altogether than to risk the risk of one.
While most types of food burn easily, you should avoid letting it burn for too long. Cooking with flammable liquids can also cause a kitchen fire. Liquids are harder to put out than dry fires, and they can spread quickly. If you don’t have the proper equipment, flammable liquids may spill. If this happens, you should immediately remove the food from the heat source. So, be sure to check the temperature of your appliances often.
A common cause of a kitchen fire is unattended cooking. The National Fire Protection Association states that cooking is the number one cause of home fires. Unattended cooking causes over 30 percent of home fires and accounts for more than fifty percent of all fatalities and injuries related to cooking fires. Always keep an eye on the stove, and avoid using alcohol or sleeping pills. Additionally, keep the cooking area free from clutter. If you do experience a fire, close the door to contain the fire and activate the fire alarm in the building.
Another cause of kitchen fires is cooking oil. If you are using cooking oil, make sure to clean it thoroughly afterward. Cooking oil will make a fire worse and spread faster. Also, cooking oil residue can catch fire next time. To avoid this, always remove the pans when you’re done cooking and clean the countertops and the rest of the kitchen area thoroughly afterward. You should also make sure to throw away any oil that you use in cooking.
