Kitchen Fire Preparedness Is Key

According to recent research, most fires are likely to originate from the kitchen. Ironically, kitchen fires are among the easiest to avoid if you can take precautions and follow simple safety steps. Employing the following safety practices in your kitchen can, therefore, take you a long way in avoiding unnecessary losses from an avoidable kitchen fire.

Stay in the kitchen

Do not leave your food cooking while you go and do other things. Most fires happen when food is left unattended. Chances are you might be distracted and even forget that you were cooking. If the fire is not detected early, it will end up spreading and causing much more damage than if you were watching it and could snuff out a small flame.

Wear fitting clothes.

Always avoid clothes that are loose in the kitchen. Try to wear short or close-fitting clothes. Long or flowing attire can cause accidents that can lead to fires, as can having hair that isn’t kept out of your face (and away from the cooking).

Pat down your food.

Do not dip your meat in the frying pan while it’s dripping water to avoid a grease fire.

Have a fire extinguisher nearby

Accidents are bound to happen, and some kitchen fires might be inevitable. Below are a few of the steps you can take if a fire breaks out in your kitchen:

• Always have an extinguisher near the kitchen door. When prompted to use it, spray aiming at the source of the fire.
• Close the door of your oven if it catches fire and unplug it, if possible. Also, unplug other devices like the microwave and anything else within reach.
• Do not try to run if you catch fire. Stop and roll on the ground then go to the hospital to get treatment for your burns.
• Never use water! Oil floats on water and kitchen oils will be spread if you add water to the fire.

Always remember not to struggle on your own if the fire is enormous if you cannot extinguish it. Call your local fire department as soon as possible. Practice preventive measures all the times to avoid fire tragedies. To learn more about dealing with a kitchen fire and safely using appliances and electronics, get in touch with Tim Kyle Electric. You can talk to an expert about new installations of lighting and wiring, among other things, for your home or business.