Do you know the causes behind kitchen fires? Here are a few of them.
You may not realize this but the kitchens in our homes are the most common place for a house fire to start. The kitchen is where cooking takes place, and the risks are infinite. Every time the stove is switched on, there runs a risk of a house fire. Despite how careful you are, fires can occur.
Here are some of the most common reasons for kitchen fire accidents.
1. Distraction
Most of the fire accidents in the kitchen take place because of distraction. A lot of the time we leave cooking food unattended, to check the door, or answer texts on our phones. The slightest carelessness in this regard can be extremely disastrous. A standard meal requires fire and oil, which is the perfect combination for a flame to start. The best thing you can do is to minimize the number of distractions as you cook and focus all of your attention to the food being prepared.
2. Food
Studies have shown that most of fire accidents in the US between 2010 and 2014 took place because of food ignition. It is a fact that most food items can easily catch fire. However, most kitchen fires occur because of food being left on the stove for too long, causing the food to burst into flames.
3. Frying
Frying is more dangerous than any other form of food preparation. Frying is also one of the most common reasons for fire accidents in the kitchen. Hot oil can be disastrous; therefore, you need to be extremely careful when frying food in the kitchen. As discussed in the earlier paragraphs, never take your eye off of frying food, the slightest distraction can result in something terrible. Never make the mistake of unnecessarily using too much oil. If the oil gets too hot, reduce the flame to minimize the temperature of the oil.
4. Grease
Oftentimes we notice slight grease buildup on kitchen cabinets. Unfortunately, we tend to ignore this grease buildup, although we shouldn’t. Grease can catch fire from the stove and burn your cabinets and your kitchen in a few minutes. Make sure to clean grease buildup on your kitchen cabinets with lukewarm water and a mild detergent regularly.
5. Clothing
Clothing in the kitchen might not be as risky, but it is still combustible. The slightest spark landing on a piece of clothing can start a fire quicker than you may think. According to the NFPA, clothing that catches on fire is the number one reason for more than 20% of deaths caused by kitchen fires in the US.
If you want to prevent a fire accident in your kitchen, make sure to stay attentive. Never leave food unattended, and never use too much oil when frying food. Try your best to control the temperature of frying food, if the temperature gets out of hand, the result can be catastrophic. Keep clothing away from fire, and make sure to clean grease residue off of your cabinets. If you do experience a kitchen fire, call Service Team of Professionals Tri-Cities (STOP Restoration) or visit our website. We are your calm after the storm!
