Kitchen Fire Safety

Kitchen Fire

Kitchen Fire Safety

The National Fire Protection Association finds cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries in the United States. These fires make up 48% of residential fires and account for 21% of home fire fatalities. 1/3 of those fires were the result of unattended cooking.


  • Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

  • Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.


  • If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.


  • Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.


What You Should Know About Kitchen Fire Safety

  • It is vitally important to remain in the kitchen, at the ready especially when frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling.

  • Housekeeping is also extremely important. Make sure combustible items are kept away from the cooking surface and clean the cooking surface/oven regularly.

  • Have a lid for your pan near the cooking surface, ready if needed/place lid over the burning pan, if you can do so safely and then turn off the burner.

  • Never attempt to remove a pan that is on fire from a burner, and never use water to extinguish the fire.

  • In the event of an oven fire turn off the oven and keep the oven door closed.

  • Use an extinguisher only if you are familiar with the operation and never discharge directly into the pan.

  • If the fire has not been extinguished or has spread beyond your control, get everyone out of the house and call 911.

Remember stand by your pan!