Stovetops are Top Culprits in Cooking Fires

11/8/2021 (Permalink)

From 2014 to 2018, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that US fire departments were called to an estimated average of 172,900 home structure fires related to cooking each year. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the number of home fires caused by cooking peaks to an average of 470 fires each day. We urge homeowners to consider these basic guidelines for cooking safety:

• Never leave food unattended on a range or cooktop. That’s where 61 percent of home cooking fires start.
• Never cook on the stove top when you are sleepy or intoxicated.
• Use a timer to remind yourself that you are cooking.
• Keep anything flammable – potholders, wooden utensils, towels, curtains, food wrapping – away from the stovetop.
• If you must leave the kitchen for any period of time, turn off the stove.

Holiday parties and large family gatherings that were postponed last year because of COVID concerns are great to look forward to but may add distraction in the kitchen. Whether you are cooking for the holidays or simply preparing an everyday meal, it is important to stay alert and focused on what’s happening on and around your stovetop.