Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, per the NFPA. To prevent one, stay in the kitchen while you fry, grill, or broil, and keep flammable items away from the stove. If a small grease fire starts, slide a lid over the pan, turn off the heat, and never use water. If it spreads, get out and call 911.
Your kitchen is probably the busiest room in your home. In Carrollton, Farmers Branch, and Addison, that might mean a full stove in a 1980s single-family home near Trinity Mills, or a compact galley kitchen in a Las Colinas apartment. Either way, a moment of distraction at the stove is how many home fires begin.
October is a good time to take a fresh look at how you cook. Here is practical guidance, based on NFPA and U.S. Fire Administration advice, to help you keep a pan fire small or stop it from starting at all.
Why do most home fires start in the kitchen?
The NFPA identifies cooking as the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. The most common factor is unattended cooking. A pot left on a burner while you answer the door, help with homework, or step outside can overheat quickly.
Frying is especially risky because oil can go from hot to on fire faster than most people expect. Once oil starts to smoke, it is a sign the pan is too hot and you should turn the heat down or off right away.
How can you prevent a kitchen fire?
Most kitchen fires are preventable with a few simple habits. The NFPA and U.S. Fire Administration recommend the following.
- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling. If you leave, even briefly, turn off the burner.
- Use a timer when you simmer, bake, or roast, and check on food regularly.
- Keep things that can burn away from the stovetop, including oven mitts, towels, paper packaging, and wooden utensils.
- Keep a lid nearby that fits the pan you are using, so it is ready if you need to smother a flame.
- Turn pot handles inward so they cannot be bumped or grabbed by children.
- Keep a kid-free zone of at least 3 feet around the stove.
- Clean grease buildup from the stovetop, oven, and range hood filter so it does not catch.
- Wear short or close-fitting sleeves while cooking.
- Do not cook when you are very tired or otherwise not alert.
What should you do if a grease fire starts?
A small grease fire in a pan can often be put out if you act calmly and quickly. Follow these steps in order.
- Put a lid on it. Carefully slide a lid or a cookie sheet over the pan to smother the flames. Leave it in place.
- Turn off the heat. Switch off the burner, and leave the pan where it is. Do not carry a burning pan to the sink or outside.
- Never use water. Water on a grease fire can cause the burning oil to splatter and spread the fire.
- Leave the lid on until the pan is cool. Lifting it too soon can let the fire flare back up.
- Get out and call 911 if the fire does not go out right away or starts to spread.
For an oven or microwave fire, turn it off and keep the door closed. Keeping the door shut helps starve the fire.
When should you get out and call 911?
The U.S. Fire Administration’s guidance is simple: when in doubt, just get out. Leave and call 911 from outside if any of the following are true.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fire is contained in a pan and a lid smothers it | Turn off heat, leave lid on, let it cool |
| Flames are spreading beyond the pan | Get everyone out and call 911 |
| Fire reaches cabinets, walls, or the range hood | Get everyone out and call 911 |
| Room is filling with smoke | Get out, close the door behind you if you can, call 911 |
| You are unsure you can put it out safely | Get out and call 911 |
Make sure everyone in your home knows two ways out of every room and where to meet outside. Once you are out, stay out.
What should apartment and townhome residents in Carrollton know about kitchen fires?
A big share of housing in Carrollton, Addison, Irving, and Lewisville is apartments and townhomes. In these buildings, a kitchen fire does not only affect your unit. Smoke and flames can reach shared walls, hallways, and the units around you, so getting out and calling 911 early matters even more.
Apartment kitchens are often small, with cabinets close to the range and less counter space. That makes it even more important to keep towels, paper goods, and small appliances away from burners. Know where your building’s exits and fire alarm pull stations are, and do not use an elevator during a fire.
In older single-family homes around Carrollton and Farmers Branch, many kitchens from the 1970s and 1980s have been updated over the years, but it is still worth checking that your range hood vents properly and its filter is clean. Grease buildup in the hood is an easy spot for a stovetop flame to catch.
Test your smoke alarms monthly, as the NFPA recommends, and make sure there is one on every level and near sleeping areas. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learn how to use it before you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw flour on a grease fire? No. Flour and other kitchen powders are not a safe way to put out a grease fire. Slide a lid over the pan and turn off the heat instead, and if you are not sure the fire is small enough to handle, get out and call 911.
Should I carry a burning pan outside? No. Moving a burning pan can spill oil, spread the fire, and cause burns. Cover it with a lid, turn off the heat, and leave it where it is.
What kind of fire extinguisher should I keep in the kitchen? A multipurpose home extinguisher (often labeled ABC) is a common choice for the kitchen. Read the label, learn how it works, and remember that your safety comes first.
What should I do after a small kitchen fire is out? Let the area cool, ventilate the room, and check for smoke residue on cabinets, walls, and the ceiling. Take photos and document everything for your insurance company, and check your policy before cleaning up.
Here if the worst happens
Good kitchen habits go a long way, and we hope you never need us. If a cooking fire does leave smoke, soot, or damage behind, our IICRC-certified technicians handle Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration and can help you get your kitchen back. Call Best Option Restoration of Carrollton 24/7.