- 48% of home fires occur due to cooking yearly.
- 59% of restaurant fires start in the kitchen, leading to significant property loss.
- Unattended cooking is the primary cause of home fires.
- To improve kitchen fire safety, heat oil slowly & install smoke alarms.
- Fire safety software like ZenFire can reduce risks in restaurants.
48% of the residential fires occur due to cooking, resulting in an average loss of 153 lives and 3,225 injuries each year. Similarly, FEMA reports that 5,900 restaurant building fires occur annually in the U.S., resulting in 75 injuries and $172 million in property damage. Furthermore, 59% of these incidents result from kitchen fires. Home cooking fire incidents are horrifying, but so are restaurant fires. Recently, Juliano’s Pizza in East Vancouver closed due to residue buildup in the oven hood. Fortunately, no one was injured, although the fire marshal estimated that the damage caused by the fire was worth $5,000.
Simple mistakes, such as wearing loose clothing while cooking, failing to clean grease or food residue from the stovetop, forgetting to turn off cooking appliances when they are not in use, and unattended cooking, largely contribute to home fires and many home fire injuries.
This blog will outline common mistakes that can lead to cooking fires, list a few safety tips to prevent them, and explain how to fry a turkey safely on Thanksgiving to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Table of Contents
Common Mistakes That Lead To Cooking Fires
Here are some common mistakes that people make while cooking that lead to horrifying cases of home fire incidents:
Leaving food unattended is a major cause of home fires. According to the NFPA, 29% of reported home cooking fires and half of all related deaths are attributed to this problem.
Overloading electrical appliances like microwaves and failing to turn them off when not in use increases the risk.
Keeping oven mitts, kitchen towels, paper towels, wooden utensils, food packaging, and other flammable materials near the stove or oven can be dangerous, as these materials can catch fire in the blink of an eye.
Using the stovetop while sleepy or after consuming alcohol can also lead to accidents.
Wearing loose clothing and long sleeves while cooking increases the risk. According to NFPA, clothing ignition accounts for 8% of home fire deaths.
Leaving food to bake in the oven and forgetting about it poses a serious hazard, as nearly 67% of cooking fires result from the ignition of food or other cooking materials.
The mistakes mentioned above are common causes of restaurant fires related to cooking. However, there are additional errors that can occur in restaurant kitchens:
Grease accumulates in kitchen range hoods and the ventilation system, serving as fuel for igniting kitchen exhaust fires. A poorly functioning ventilation system leads to heat buildup, creating a favorable environment for ignition.
Many chefs carelessly use alcohol-based ingredients near open flames while preparing flambé dishes, which can often result in significant kitchen fires.
Fire Prevention and Cooking Safety Tips
Here are a few simple yet effective safety tips to prevent cooking fires:
Stay in the kitchen while cooking. If there is an emergency that requires you to leave, turn off the stove first.
Heat the oil slowly when frying, broiling, or roasting food. If smoke appears, turn off the gas immediately, as smoke can indicate that the oil is too hot.
Install smoke detectors and ensure comprehensive coverage. Always place the detectors at least 10 feet away from kitchen appliances.
Avoid wearing loose clothing or long sleeves while cooking.
Keep flammable materials away from the stove and heat sources.
When baking, always set a timer to remind you about the food.
Never throw hot grease in the garbage or pour it down the drain. Wait until the oil has completely cooled.
Prevent food residue or grease buildup by cleaning the stovetop, oven, and cooking appliances like microwaves regularly.
Keep a fire extinguisher near the kitchen and understand how to use it. Educate others on its operation.
Always add food gently to the pan to prevent oil splatter. In case of a grease fire, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the stove. If the fire is large, evacuate the area, close the door behind you to contain the fire, and immediately call the fire department.
Position the pots and pans handles towards the back of the stove to prevent them from being knocked over by children.
Establish a kid-free zone around the stove, maintaining a minimum of 3 feet of space.
How To Avoid a Home Fire on Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving in 2022, 1,610 home cooking fires occurred. So, it is advisable to deep-fry the turkey outside and ensure that all your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are functioning before Thanksgiving Day.
Here are a few tips for avoiding a cooking fire when frying a turkey:
Always keep the turkey fryer on a sturdy and level surface to prevent it from tipping over easily. Do not move it once you begin using it.
Keep the turkey fryer at least 10 feet away from your home and ensure it does not come under the roof eaves.
Often, people do not realize how much oil to use and pour too much into the fryer. Placing the turkey into the hot oil might cause it to overflow, which is dangerous. Always pour water first and check if it reaches the top or overflows after the turkey is placed.
Ensure that your turkey is at normal temperature before placing it in the oil because frozen turkey can cause the oil to spatter.
Use a kitchen thermometer and attach it to the pot if the fryer doesn’t have the thermostat itself. This will help you monitor the temperature and prevent overheating.
Conclusion
Kitchen fires are devastating for both homes and restaurant businesses. Cooking fires can escalate within seconds, leaving people with barely a few minutes to evacuate. By following simple safety tips- such as staying in the kitchen while cooking, knowing how to handle small grease fires, cleaning cooking appliances and stoves regularly to prevent grease buildup, heating oil slowly before frying food, covering the pan if there’s smoke, turning off the stove, installing smoke detectors and a fire suppression system, and maintaining proper ventilation can significantly reduce the risk of kitchen fires.
For business owners running large-scale restaurants, maintaining the fire alarm system and evacuation routes properly can be challenging, potentially putting many lives at risk. With constantly updated NFPA and OSHA regulations, ZenFire automates fire inspections and compliance reporting using digital NFPA-compliant forms and checklists, while streamlining the maintenance of fire safety systems with alerts and reminders.
Schedule a free demo with ZenFire today to ensure that your kitchen and facility are protected with our advanced fire safety solutions.
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