Preventing Cooking Accidents

Back to Fire Prevention Home Page

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

Follow these tips to reduce and prevent cooking accidents:

• Keep an eye on what you fry. Most cooking fires start when someone is frying food.
• Watch what you are cooking. Fires start when the heat is too high. If you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
• Make sure you are awake and alert. Alcohol and some drugs can make you sleepy.
• Wear short sleeves or roll them up so they don’t catch on fire.
• Make sure children and pets stay at least 3 feet away from a hot stove.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one can bump them or pull them over.
• Move things that can burn away from the stove. This includes dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper and curtains.

Back to Top