Avoid A Kitchen Grease Fire

10/1/2018 (Permalink)

Do not leave your stove unattended while it's in use.

Cooking. We all do it, some of us better then others, but we all do it, whether it’d be whipping up some scrambled eggs, cooking up some stir fry, or doing the three-course meal. Cooking is the leading cause of fire injuries and home fires in the United States. What can start as a small grease fire can eventually grow and spread to other areas of your home if it’s not safely contained. Here are some helpful tips to help Avondale, Goodyear, and Southwest Phoenix residents when it comes to safely putting out a grease fire in your home.

• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and know how to use it.
• Be sure to have the handles on your pots and pans facing inwards as to avoid accidentally knocking it onto the ground.
• Do not leave the stove unattended while cooking. Always remain in close proximity of the stove when in use.
• Keep kitchen towels, pot holders, and anything that is flammable away from the stove.
• Watch the heat carefully. If the pan gets too hot, the grease will start to boil or splatter, and the pan will start to smoke which could lead to flames. When you notice the pan start to smoke, turn the heat down immediately and watch carefully.
• If a hot pan does catch on fire, use pot holders to place a lid or baking sheet on top of the pan. If you don’t have a lid or baking sheet available, you can also resort to using baking soda. Be sure to carefully pour it over the flames. The key here is to smother the flames. DO NOT use water or anything else that is flammable to try and put out the flames.
• If none of those options are working, use your fire extinguisher. If the flames do get out of hand, do not try and put it out. Instead, have you and your family evacuate immediately and call 911.

With the holidays coming up, many of us will be in the kitchen preparing large meals. To avoid a potential grease fire from happening, you can apply the above tips. Applying these safety tips will protect you, your home, and most importantly, your loved ones.

If you do find yourself dealing with fire or smoke damage in your kitchen from a grease fire, you can count on SERVPRO of Avondale/Goodyear/Southwest Phoenix to provide restoration services. Give SERVPRO of Avondale/Goodyear/Southwest Phoenix a call at (623) 537-9999.