Where Do Most Fires Start?

6/2/2021 (Permalink)

kitchen fire

Some of the most common house fires in Greene County that occur come straight from the kitchen. We all have burnt a little something in the kitchen along the way I bet. Toast in the toaster, a cake in the oven, popcorn in the microwave. It happens sometimes if we get distracted while preparing something good to eat. One of the most common kitchen fires is on the stove. We call it a grease fire. SERVPRO gets more calls about grease fires than anything else. Reason being is as soon as oil heats that stove there is a great chance of it catching fire if you aren’t paying attention. When grease catches fire on the stove to the point you can’t just easily put it out, it can catch your cabinets on fire, along with anything else surrounding that area very quickly. That being said, here are some tips on what to do if you ever experience this cooking fiasco. Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet if possible. This smothers the flames and keeps them from getting any higher or spreading out. Turn off the heat source if you can without burning yourself. Remember you are more important than your stuff. If it's small and manageable, pour baking soda or salt on it to smother the fire. As a last resort, locate your fire extinguisher which is normally under the sink or in your pantry. Do not try to extinguish the fire with water. This will only increase the flames and allow it to spread even further.