Kitchen Fires 

A fatal fire in a Maine single-family home began when a male occupant fell asleep in an adjacent room while cooking oil was being heated on the kitchen stove. Investigators believe that when he woke to the burning oil, he threw water on the fire. This caused the fire to spread. The victim was found in the kitchen with burn and smoke inhalation injuries.

An elderly Oklahoma woman phoned for help, stating that her clothing was on fire and she could not get out of her home. When the fire department arrived, the fire was already out. The severely burned woman was found in her living room. She told the firefighters that she had been making coffee when her clothes were ignited by the gas burner on the range. The victim was transported to the hospital where she later died. ^[3]

Kitchen Safety Rules 

Whether  you’re cooking at home and in the school foods lab, be sure to follow these kitchen safety rules to prevent accidents. The rules below are adapted from Taste of Home‘s   “Top 10 Kitchen Safety Do’s and Don’ts” ^[4]

Rule 1. Learn how to extinguish a fire.

 Cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Before using the oven or stove,  locate the fire extinguisher and review the dirctions on how it works.   It takes only seconds for a fire to get uncontrollable.  Kitchen fires are typically from  grease or electricity. Never pour water over any kitchen fire –the water makes the fire spread. Instead,  use a fire extinguisher,  baking powder, or cover the pan.   The fireman in the video below demonstrates what occurs when you put water on a fire, which is NOT recommended. He also  describes that the word to remember when using a fire extinguisher is  “PASS.”  It’s an easy way to remember to:  Pull the pin, Aim at the fire, Squeeze the trigger, and Sweep across the fire.

A fire inside your oven is best put out with an extinguisher, and a microwave fire can be put out just by turning off the appliance and keeping the door closed.   For a stove-top fire, if you don’t have a fire extinguisher,  try suffocating  it by covering the flames with a large lid.

Rule 2. Learn how to use knives.

A dull knife is more likely to slip and cut you than a sharp one. Keeping your blades sharpened is one of the easiest ways to ensure safety. Also, it would be best if you chose the appropriate knife for the task at hand. In other words, do not use a meat cleaver to slice strawberries. The “Basic Knife Skills” video demonstrates how to hold and use knives properly.

Rule 3. Wear safe clothing and tie back hair.

Do not wear long, baggy sleeves in the kitchen. Can you imagine your sleeve catching fire from the flame of a glass stove? In general, tops with fitted sleeves or no sleeves work best. Also, avoid wearing anything flammable or synthetic; these fabrics can melt onto your skin when overheated.

None of us wants to have someone else’s hair in our food. Even freshly washed hair contains bacteria. Tie back your hair to avoid stray strands from contaminating food. For hair too short for tying back, use a hair covering such as a net or a hat.

Rule 4. Wear shoes with closed toes and rubber or leather soles. 

Have you ever dropped a knife, broken a plate, or accidentally spilled hot liquids? Imagine any of these falling on your foot. Always wear close-toed shoes with low heels while cooking. Leather is the best choice. Not only will the shoes protect you from sharp falling objects, but they will also protect you from other kitchen mishaps such as broken glass and hot water or oil spills.

Rule 5. Prevent burns.

When cooking, make sure to turn your pots and pans handles inward. And use the rear burners if possible. This combination will help prevent someone from knocking into the pans, resulting in hot food spattering on your skin. When handling anything on the stove-top or in the oven, always have potholders or oven mitts within reaching distance. Do not use wet potholders or dish rags because they will not keep the heat from burning your hands. And steam can for from the heat/water combination resulting in a steam burn

Rule 6. Always stir and lift away from you.

Lift the lid on a pot of hot foods away from you. A hot pot will collect steamy condensation under the lip. This condensation can drip onto your skin when lifting off the lid toward you, causing burns. The same goes for stirring. Make sure you always stir away from your body.

Rule 7.  Don’t set a hot glass dish on a wet or cold surface.

Glass expands when it gets warm and shrinks when it cools down quickly, which causes the glass to break. The best place to set hot glass lids and pans is on a trivet, cutting board, or potholder to avoid breakage.

Rule 8 . Don’t use metal utensils on nonstick, Teflon pans.

Avoid using metal utensils on Teflon or nonstick pans. The metal might cause flaking or chipping of the Teflon. This not only damages the nonstick surface, but the flakes will contaminate your food. Some people believe that these flakes might be toxic. A better solution: Use wooden or plastic spoons on Teflon or other coated pots and pans.

Rule 9. Don’t use the same cutting board for raw meat, fruits and vegetables.