Fire in your Kitchen?

9/2/2021 (Permalink)

Home fires are most likely to start in the kitchen than any room in the house.  The second leading cause of fires inside the home are from wood stoves and fireplaces.  Multitasking while cooking is the biggest reason fires start in the kitchen.  One third of fires are caused by not paying attention to food on the stove.  Cooking oil or grease can easily catch fire if it gets too hot.  Ranges and cook tops account for 58% of fires and ovens account for 16%.  Microwaves are the leading cause of scald burn injuries.  Hot pans and the hot stove with hot liquids or steam accounted for 55% of burns in children.  Trying to fight a kitchen fire yourself can lead to injury and making the matter worse.

Keep your family safe by providing safety tips to prevent fires and burns.  Have a kid free zone of at least 3 feet around the stove and hot objects.  Children need to be aware of the dangers of cooking and being too close to hot objects.  Keep hot objects away from the edges of tables and counters due to small children reaching for food. 

Keep a clutter free area when cooking to reduce the chance of flammable material setting a fire.  Items to keep away from the stove would include dish towels, potholders, and paper towels.  When distracted and having to leave the kitchen it is best to turn the stove off.  Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen and could have been prevented.

When you have experienced a kitchen fire from a food source you will have soot and odor through out the home.  To remove soot and smoke from walls, furniture, and floors, contact your local SERVPRO of the Quad Cities. Since each smoke and fire damage situation is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions. When various materials burn, the soot and residue they create differs greatly and requires a specific cleaning procedure.  Listed below are tips on what not to do after a fire:

            What NOT To Do After a Fire

• Don't attempt to wash any walls or painted surfaces or shampoo carpet or upholstery without contacting us.
• Don't attempt to clean any electrical appliances that may have been close to fire, heat, or water without consulting an authorized repair service.
• Don't use any canned or packaged food or beverages that may have been stored near the fire, heat, or water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet. The wiring may be damaged.
• Don't send garments to an ordinary dry cleaner. Improper cleaning may set smoke odor.

Leave the cleaning and restoration needs to SERVPRO. There is no substitute for training and experience. As fire and water damage specialists, our business is built upon fire and water restoration expertise. We have the knowledge and the specialized equipment to get your property back to pre-fire condition.