Too Many Cooks In The Kitchen? Barrie Firefighters Would be Happy If There Was Just One
Stand by your pan
The new year is not off to a good start in the kitchen. Barrie firefighters have been called to three unattended cooking fires in the first three days of 2019. None resulted in serious damage.
Cooking the number one cause of fires in the home.
What to do? Barrie Fire and Emergency Service offers the following advice:
- Mount a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and check the pressure gauge monthly. Clean the exhaust hood and the duct over the stove regularly.
- Stand By Your Pan. If you have to leave the kitchen – even a few seconds – turn off the stove, set a timer or take an item with you (like a tea towel or oven mitt) to remind you to return to cooking right away.
- Clear the Clutter. Keep the cooking area clear of paper towel, wooden utensils and tea towels to prevent any possibility of fire spread.
- Don’t Reach for Danger. Don’t store anything on the back of your stove so you won’t be tempted to reach across a hot element or burner.
- Don’t Cook Wearing Loose Clothing. People have burned to death because they have reached across the stove while wearing loose clothing. If you’re going to cook on the stove, wear a short-sleeve shirt or roll up your sleeves. Don’t wear that robe with baggy sleeves!
- Put a Lid on It. If a pot catches fire, it’s important not to panic. Keep the proper-fitting pot lids nearby so that if the pan catches fire, you can carefully slide the lid on it and turn off the stove. Once the lid is placed on top of the pot, turn the heat off.
- Don’t peek. Wait until the pot cools down before removing the lid. People have burned their house down because their first reaction is to rush the pot to the sink or get the pot outside as fast as possible
