Kitchen fires kill more than 5,000 people annually in the United States. Be smart in the kitchen and observe these precautions.

Kitchen Fire Safety Tips

• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Avoid using countertop frying units.
• Turn the handles of pots and pans toward the back of the stove when cooking. This should prevent accidental spillage of hot food or grease should they be bumped, as well as keep small children from grabbing for them.
• Keep shirt sleeves rolled up to avoid dragging them over heat and catching fire.
• In cases of small stove-top pan fires, sometimes the fire can be extinguished by covering the pan with its lid or pouring a significant amount of salt on flames.
• Store at least one UL listed 1A-10BC fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
• Do not store combustible items on or above the stove.
• If an appliance has a worn or frayed electric cord, replace the cord or the appliance.
• Never store flammable liquids such as furniture stripper or gasoline inside your home. Always store them outside. Vapors can easily ignite from these substances when cooking in the kitchen. Never store a motorcycle or moped inside a dwelling. Gasoline vapors from these can easily ignite from cooking or water heaters.

These recommendations were developed using generally accepted safety standards. Compliance with these recommendations is not a guarantee that you will be in conformance with any building code, federal, state or local regulation regarding safety or fire. Compliance with these recommendations does not ensure the absolute safety of your occupation, business or residence. It is the property owner’s duty to warn any tenants or occupants of the property of any safety hazards that may exist.