Kitchen Fire Safety Guidelines

Home fires can start for many different reasons, such as burning candles or faulty wires. However, the number one cause of home fires is cooking. Therefore, it’s important to be informed about the most common causes of kitchen fires and how to avoid them:

• The oven or stove should always be supervised while frying, broiling or grilling food. The appliance must be turned off before leaving the kitchen.
• A timer should be used when roasting, simmering, baking or boiling food to be reminded when to turn off the oven or stove.
• Those who are cooking should roll up their sleeves and avoid wearing loose clothes. Long hair should be tied back.
• Children should be taught to stay at least 1 meter away from the heat source when cooking. Pot handles must be turned away from the stove edge, so that kids can’t reach them.
• Flammable materials or items, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper bags or pot holders, should be kept at a safe distance from the stove.
• Cooking surfaces and appliances must be cleaned regularly to prevent grease buildup. Grease can easily catch fire, so any grease or oil spills should be wiped off immediately.
• A fire extinguisher should be kept in the kitchen for extra prevention. Salt or baking soda can also be used to put out a stovetop fire. Tips for using a fire extinguisher safely can be found here.
• A smoke alarm should be installed near the kitchen, but not inside it, as smoke or steam generated in the kitchen can sometimes trigger the alarm.
• When using the microwave oven, the manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed. Aluminum foil or metal must never be used in a microwave oven. This article provides more microwave oven safety tips.

General fire safety tips can be accessed here and tips to protect children from fires are available in this article. The PuroClean team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage.

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