58% of accidental house fire start in the kitchen and 66% of kitchen fire start from the cooker or oven. MCL want you to stay safe in the kitchen this Christmas period so we have highlighted our top tips for keeping you and your family safe this holiday period
What you should know about home cooking safety
- Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
- Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.
- If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
- Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
- Turn pot handles inward so they can’t be bumped and children can’t grab them.
- Buy a smoke alarm fitted with a “hush button” so if it goes off accidentally you can silence it instantly. That way you won’t be tempted to remove the battery, except to change it for a new one. If your alarm keeps going off unnecessarily you may need to move it further away from the kitchen.
- Keep your microwave clean and do not put metal in it
- Never cook in loose clothes and keep long hair tied back. You don’t want anything accidentally catching fire
- You need to be especially careful when you are deep-fat frying or cooking with oil because hot oil can catch fire easily. Make sure you:
- Don’t fill a chip pan or other deep-fat fryer more than one-third full of oil
- Use a thermostat-controlled deep-fat fryer, which will make sure the fat doesn’t get too hot
If you have a cooking fire
- Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
- Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
- If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
- Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.