What Is the Frequency of Kitchen Fires?

Cooking fires are rather prevalent in the United States. According to the National Fire Protection Association, there were an estimated 166,100 structure fires connected to cooking equipment in the United States per year between 2012 and 2016. That’s 459 each day on average!

Cooking is the major cause of house fire injuries, and kitchen fires account for two-thirds of all home fire fatalities.

Kitchen fires are the leading cause of house fires and home fire casualties, according to the National Fire Protection Association. In fact, one in every five house fires begins in the kitchen.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires.

It is critical that you never leave your food unattended while it is cooking, even for a minute. Turn off the stove or oven if you must leave the room for any reason.

Additional causes of kitchen fires include grease and oil buildup on stovetops and range hoods, which may help prevent grease fires in your kitchen.

To prevent a fire from developing, grease should be cleaned on a regular basis.

During cooking, keep combustible things such as potholders, dishtowels, and paper towels away from the burner. In case of an emergency, have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen.

What is the Most Common Cause of Kitchen Fires?

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, two-thirds of all house fires begin in the kitchen, with half of those caused by unsupervised cooking.

Grease and electrical faults are other typical causes of kitchen fires.

Grease fires are often caused by cooking with too much oil or fat, or by failing to clean the cooktop on a regular basis. Faulty wiring, overloading outlets, and utilizing appliances near water may all create electrical difficulties.

Whatever the reason, it is essential to use caution while cooking in the kitchen.

Never leave food on the burner alone, and keep an eye on any electrical equipment you’re using. If a fire starts, contact 911 immediately and, if feasible, exit your house.

What Percentage of Fires are Caused by Kitchen?

According to a National Fire Protection Association research, the proportion of home fires that originated in the kitchen was 11%. This is less than the proportion of fires caused by other typical ignition sources, such as electrical (17%) and heating equipment (17%). (15 percent). Nonetheless, given that the kitchen is where we spend the most of our time at home, this is still a large quantity.

So, how can you avoid a kitchen fire? The NFPA gives the following advice:

-Keep flammable items such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, and drapes away from your burner.

-Confirm that your smoke alarms are operational. Replace the batteries at least once a year and test them periodically.
-Never leave food cooking unattended.

Turn off the stove if you must leave the room for any length of time. Never overload electrical outlets or use an extension cable with a high-wattage equipment such as a coffee maker or toaster oven.

You can help keep your kitchen safe from fires by following these basic safety guidelines.

How Many Kitchen Fires a Year?

Each year, an estimated 156,600 kitchen fires occur in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The property damage caused by these fires is estimated to be $1 billion, with 3,280 civilian fatalities and 15,520 civilian injuries.

What Are The Causes of Kitchen Fires? And How To Extinguish Them?

Facts About Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires are among the most prevalent forms of house fires. A variety of causes may contribute to them, including cooking oil, grease, electrical equipment, and even candles. Here are some interesting facts concerning kitchen fires:

1. Kitchen fires cause an estimated $2.5 billion in property damage in the United States alone each year.

2. The kitchen is the origin of two-thirds of all house structure fires.

3. Cooking is the major cause of residential structure fires in general, accounting for over half of all recorded cases (48%).

4. Grease and cooking oil are common sources of fuel for kitchen fires. In fact, grease or cooking oil is to blame for almost one-quarter (24%) of all recorded residential structurefires involving kitchens.

5. Another important cause of ignition for kitchen fires is electrical equipment.

Tea kettles. Electrical equipment such as stoves, ovens, microwaves, toasters, and coffee machines sparked about 17% of recorded house structurefires involving kitchens.

Commercial Kitchen Fire Statistics

A fire in a commercial kitchen is a severe concern. In the United States, these fires cost an estimated $100 million in property damage and result in 300 deaths, 5,000 injuries, and 3,000 civilian fire fatalities per year.

Cooking equipment is the major cause of commercial kitchen fires.

Stoves, ovens, deep fryers, and barbecues are all included. Additional possibilities include poor wiring or overloaded circuits, irresponsible smoking, and flammable substances such as grease or cleaning chemicals.

Simple precautions may be taken to lessen the danger of a commercial kitchen fire:

-Keep your kitchen tidy. Grease and food residue may be very flammable.
-Regularly inspect your cooking equipment to verify that it is in excellent operating condition.

-Have a competent technician examine your exhaust system to ensure that it is up to code and operational.
-Ensure that all personnel have received sufficient fire safety training and understand how to utilize all of the extinguishers situated throughout the kitchen.
In your commercial kitchen, install an automated sprinkler system.

How to Prevent Kitchen Fires

Most kitchen fires are avoidable if proper measures are taken. The following suggestions can assist you in avoiding a kitchen fire:

1. Maintain a clean cooktop.

A buildup of oil and food may easily ignite, so clean your stove after cooking.

2. Never leave food cooking unattended. If you need to leave the stove, turn it off first.

3. Store combustible items away from the stove. Dishtowels, paper towels, and drapes are examples of this.

4. Use caution while cooking with oil.

Keep an eye on the hot oil when cooking since it may quickly catch fire. If it begins to smoke, quickly turn off the heat and remove the pan from the heat.

5 .

Avoid overloading electrical sockets. Too many gadgets connected into a single outlet might start a fire, so distribute them across your kitchen.
6 Have a functional smoke alarm.

This is one of the most crucial steps you can take to avoid a kitchen fire. Check your smoke alarm weekly and replace the batteries at least once a year.

Fire Accident in Kitchen

A kitchen fire is one of the most hazardous things that may happen in a house. Cooking is the greatest cause of house fires and home fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Although it is vital to exercise caution while cooking, there are several basic actions you can take to avoid starting a fire in your kitchen.

1. Never leave food cooking when unattended. Turn off the stove or oven if you must leave the kitchen for any length of time.

2. Keep flammable materials away from the stovetop, such as towels and pot holders.

3. Avoid cooking in loose-fitting garments. If long sleeves come into touch with a flame or a hot surface, they may quickly catch fire.

4. Have a functional fire extinguisher in your kitchen at all times and know how to use it appropriately.

In the case of a minor grease fire, smother the flames by covering the pan with a lid until it cools completely. Attempting to transfer the pan outdoors will just spread the flames.

Conclusion

Kitchen fires are the biggest cause of house fires and home fire casualties in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Cooking equipment is responsible for one out of every five house building fires. Although this may seem to be a large number, it is really a reduction from past years.

This is most likely due to the growing usage of smoke alarms and other home safety systems.

Nonetheless, kitchen fires are not to be dismissed. They may do significant damage to your property and endanger your family.

If you encounter a fire in your kitchen, contact 911 immediately and exit the building. Finally, to help avoid future kitchen fires, follow these NFPA recommendations:

Everything that may catch fire, such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, and curtains, should be kept away from the cooktop.

Clean your cooktop on a regular basis to prevent grease accumulation.

Cooking food should never be left unattended. If you must leave the room for any length of time, turn off the stove.