From the article, Prevent Kitchen Fires! found on Williamsburg Fire Department’s Website

Prevent Stovetop Kitchen Fires at King & Queen Apartments!

Cooking fires are the number one cause of residential fires and residential fire injuries.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. Many injuries occur when occupants attempt to fight the fires themselves.

According to the latest NFPA research, cooking is the leading cause of home fires. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen-more than any other place in the home.  Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

Here are some safety tips to prevent cooking related fires and injuries:

• Never leave anything cooking in the stovetop unattended! Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, baking or boiling food.  Do not allow boiling over.  If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove or oven.  Never leave home while you are cooking.
• Never pick up a flaming pan! You may be burned, or if the pan is dropped, flames may quickly spread to other for flammable areas.
• Never use water to fight a grease fire! A violent explosion may result. Wet dishcloths or towels are also dangerous.
• Slide a tight-fitting lid or cookie sheet over the pan to smother the flames (only if safe to do so)> Turn off burner and wait 20 minutes before removing lid.
• When you are simmering, baking or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.
• If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove.
• When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves.
• Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop.
• Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.

NOTE: Each apartment at King & Queen Apartments is equipped with two (2) StoveTop FireStop fire suppressant canisters underneath the range hood.  They are designed to automatically discharge, putting out the flames, when flames or heat from a stove-top fire reaches high enough to trigger the canisters.  If the StoveTop FireStop canisters discharge, be sure to still dial 9-1-1 and contact Management. If you have a cooking fire in your apartment… 

If you experience a stovetop kitchen fire in your apartment:

• Just get out!  Close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 9-1-1 after you leave.
• The StoveTop FireStop fire suppressant canisters will aid in putting out the fire.

If you experience an oven fire – turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

For more information on Cooking Safety, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.

In order to schedule a station tour or a fire safety presentation with the Williamsburg Fire Department, please call (757) 220-6220 or email us at fire@williamsburgva.gov.