Kitchen Fires 101 If you have a fire in your oven or microwave, turn it off immediately and keep the door closed to prevent flames from spreading.
Always keep an oven mitt and a lid nearby when you’re cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn the burner off. To keep the fire from restarting, don’t remove the lid until the pan is completely cool.
Have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it BEFORE a fire starts.
No Kids Allowed
Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of 3 feet around the stove.
Use the stove’s back burners whenever possible, and turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots with hot contents will be knocked over.
NEVER hold a small child while cooking.
Stand By Your Pan!!!
Most fires in the kitchen occur because cooking is left unattended. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling or boiling food.
If you must leave the kitchen, for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
If you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly.
Microwave With Care
Plug the microwave oven directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a microwave as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
Use only microwave-safe containers to heat food.
Allow food to cool for a minute or more before you remove it from the microwave.
Open containers slowly as hot steam escaping from the containers can cause painful burns.
Never use aluminum foil or metal objects in a microwave oven. They can cause a fire or burn hazard and damage the oven.
Keep It Clean!
Keep anything that can catch fire – potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.
Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it comes in contact with a gas flame or electric burner.
