Yuma, Arizona - According to the National Fire Protection Association, Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing 46% of home fires that resulted in 19% of the home fire deaths and 44% of the injuries. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires are started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. Unattended cooking was a factor in one-third (33%) of reported home cooking fires and half (49%) of the associated deaths.
Just last week alone we had two fires in homes that were cooking fires. Fortunately, there were no injuries involving these fires, and damage was minimal, but they do serve as reminders to “Watch what you Heat” and never leave stove top cooking unattended. As we head into the holiday season next month, remember that Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.
So, never leave things cooking on the stove unattended, keep clutter away from cooking surfaces, wear clothing without loose dangling sleeves, have a “Kid Free Zone” of at least 3 feet from cooking surfaces and always turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to prevent children from grabbing handles and spilling hot stuff onto themselves
For more information about fire and injury prevention classes we offer, contact the Yuma Fire Department Public Information Office at 928-373-4855