Kitchen Fire Safety: Simple Habits That Prevent Cooking Fires
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). In 2021, fire departments responded to an estimated 170,000 home cooking fires. The most common factor in cooking fires that spread was equipment left unattended.
The USFA also notes that, starting at age 65, people are twice as likely to be killed or injured by fire as the general population. The good news: a few steady habits make a real difference.
Stay With Your Pan
- Stay in the kitchen when you’re frying, grilling, boiling or broiling. If you need to step away, even for a moment, turn the burner off.
- When you’re simmering, baking or roasting, check the food often, stay home, and set a timer as a reminder.
- Don’t cook when you feel sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.
Set Up a Safer Stovetop
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so they can’t be bumped.
- Keep pot holders, oven mitts, towels, paper bags, food packaging and curtains away from the stove and oven.
- Clean the stovetop and oven after you use them so grease doesn’t build up.
- Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves. Loose fabric can catch fire on a burner or gas flame.
- Plug kitchen appliances straight into the wall, not into an extension cord.
- Keep about 10 feet between your smoke alarm and the stove, as the USFA recommends.
If a Pan Catches Fire
- Stay calm. Slide a lid or a baking sheet over the pan to smother the flames.
- Turn off the burner.
- If the fire doesn’t go out, or it spreads, get out of the house right away.
- Call 911 from outside, using your cell phone or a neighbor’s phone. Don’t go back in.
Keep a pan lid within reach whenever you cook. The American Red Cross also suggests keeping a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. If you have one, learn how it works before you ever need it.
Do a Final Check
Before you leave the kitchen or head to bed, make sure the oven, burners and small appliances are off. It’s also smart to pick an outdoor meeting spot in front of your home, where firefighters can easily see you if there’s ever an emergency.
More on Seniors Tips
- Space Heater Safety: Simple Habits for a Warm, Safe Winter
- A Room-by-Room Checklist to Help Prevent Falls at Home
