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Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries

Recently a small stovetop cooking fire occurred in the University Student and Faculty Apartments. A tenant was cooking with grease in a wok on her stovetop when the grease caught fire. The Houston Fire Department was called and responded. The grease fire was put out and, due to damage, the stove and microwave were removed from the apartment. No one was injured in the fire.

Please note that fires do happen on our campus. It is important to know what to do in the event of a fire such as how to activate the building fire alarm system, where the emergency exits are located, and how to evacuate personnel.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries. Cooking equipment is involved in more than 100,000 home fires each year and most of these involve the kitchen stovetop. Most kitchen fires occur because of unattended cooking (NFPA Fire Facts 2006).

Home Cooking Safety Tips:

• Have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen.
• Pay attention to your cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.
• If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
• If you have young children, use the back burners whenever possible.
• Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.
• When you cook wear clothing with tight fitting sleeves.
• Allow food cooked in a microwave oven to cool for a minute or more before you remove it from the oven
  • always use an oven mitt when removing dishes.
• Open microwave food slowly, hot steam escaping from the container can cause painful burns.

Related Links:

National Fire Prevention Association
Preventing Cooking Fires

Date Modified: 10/26/2006