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Kitchen Safety
 Most home fires start in the kitchen, making it the most dangerous room in the house. Below are some ways of having a safer kitchen;
- Keep electrical leads and items which can catch fire easily, such as tea towels, oven gloves and loose clothing, away from the cooker and toaster.
- Keep the oven, toaster, hob and grill clean. A build-up of crumbs, fat and grease can easily catch fire.
- Keep electrical leads and appliances away from water.
- Why not keep a fire blanket in the kitchen? You can use it to wrap around someone whose clothes have caught fire or to smother a small fire.
- Don't leave cooking unattended. Fire starts when your attention stops!!
- If you deep-fry food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool.
- Never fill chip pans more than one-third full of oil
- Don't use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer.
- Make sure saucepan handles don't stick out from the hob.
What if a pan catches fire?
You should only ever tackle a pan fire if it's in its early stages and you are completely sure you can put it out and stay safe.
- Turn off the heat if it's safe to do so. Don't move the pan.
- Run a cloth under the tap, wring it out carefully, and cover the flaming pan. If you have a fire blanket, put it over the pan.
- Never throw water over the pan.
A Chip Pan Fire Demonstration |
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The chip pan catches fire |
Smother it with a damp towel |
DO NOT PUT ON WATER |
Don't take risks
There is no such thing as a safe fire. It's better for you to prevent fire than to fight it.
Tackling fire is a job best left to professional firefighters.
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