| The kitchen is not the most dangerous room in the | | | | It is a completely different matter when greasy or oily |
| house, the living room is, but most serious accidents | | | | foodstuffs catch fire. These types of kitchen fires are |
| are liable to happen in the kitchen (or on the stairs). | | | | really dangerous, because once the oil reaches a |
| Roughly 18,000 people in the US experience injuries in | | | | particular temperature it practically explodes out of the |
| home fires every year and fire is the greatest cause | | | | pan. |
| of accidental death in children. In this article, we will take | | | | This type of fire can easily destroy a kitchen or burn a |
| a look at the origins and types of kitchen fires. | | | | house down and even kill all its occupants. Fat, grease |
| One of the problems is time. None of us seems to | | | | and oil fires spread so quickly, because they are |
| have enough of it, so often we end up attempting to | | | | extremely hot. The oil boils over and spreads and |
| do two or three things at the same time. If one of | | | | there is often a thick, black oily cloud of smoke as well. |
| those is frying or just using the cooker and you forget | | | | Chip pan fires are notoriously dangerous, particularly if |
| about it while you are busy with something else, you | | | | the pan is put on to 'warm up' while you go off to do |
| can have a horrible accident. But if you transpire to | | | | something else. Revellers are sometimes killed in their |
| leave the house when it happens and there is no one | | | | sleep, because they have come home drunk and |
| else at home, then you will almost certainly have a | | | | hungry. They fancy some chips and put the pan on the |
| grave problem. | | | | heat to warm up. They go to put a film on to watch |
| There are a couple of types of kitchen fires, but the | | | | with their meal and fall asleep. And they never wake |
| most common of them is when bits and pieces of | | | | up on Earth again. |
| food spilled on the cooker catch fire. This can also | | | | Never, ever try to make anything more than a |
| occur in a grimy oven that has been left on for too | | | | sandwich when you are drunk or tired. You can fight a |
| long or when a pan boils dry and the food that was | | | | small fire by turning off the heat source and starving |
| cooking dries out and catches fire. | | | | the fire of oxygen with a cooking pan lid or a damp |
| These types of kitchen fires are not usually dangerous, | | | | cloth. Never try to extinguish a fat fire with water. |
| but they are a big nuisance because they leave an | | | | If the fire is in danger of getting out of hand or you |
| awful smell in the house for weeks. The smell gets into | | | | even if you only think it might do, call the fire brigade. |
| every material in the house and a thorough cleaning is | | | | You might also shout for help from a neighbour. If it is a |
| necessary to get rid of it. It could leave black smelly | | | | very serious fire, you should get everybody out of the |
| smoke marks on every surface it touches, but | | | | house and warn the neighbours anyway. |
| especially on the ceiling above the stove. Often it is | | | | If you have ever witnessed a chip pan fire, you will |
| necessary to redecorate the kitchen. Often these | | | | never be without an appropriate fire extinguisher, but |
| small fires could have been avoided by keeping the | | | | better still get one in advance anyway. Check that the |
| cooker clean. | | | | extinguisher is of the correct kind. |