Cooking at home can be an extremely satisfying and enjoyable activity for some. Preparing dinner for friends or family, or just cooking for a quiet evening in can be very pleasant for many people. However, despite the pleasure that can be attained through this hobby, cooking can also be a dangerous activity if those in the kitchen are not being careful. One must always keep in mind that this is a task that deals with dangerously hot objects and open flames, and if the proper precautions are not taken, fires can arise. In 2005, the United States had 146,400 reported cooking fires that injured 4,690 people and killed 480 others.
Several simple steps can be taken to ensure that you or your family members will remain out of harm’s way when working in the kitchen or outside on a grill:
- Never wear loose clothing when cooking. It is liable to interact with flames or heated surfaces and catch on fire.
- Keep children out of the way when working. Not only can they pose a distraction, but they also might upset items that may start fires.
- Always clean your kitchen surfaces in order to prevent the accumulation of oils and grease.
- Avoid having pan or pot handles hanging out over the stove, just to make sure you don’t accidentally bump them to the ground.
- Keep an eye on your food to prevent burning, overcooking, or boil-overs that may spark fires.
- If there is an oil fire, never try to put it out with water. This will make it worse. Instead, smother it with a metal pan lid.
Contact Us
If you or someone you know has been injured in a cooking fire, please do not hesitate to contact the Minneapolis burn injury attorney of Terry, Slane & Ruohonen, P.L.L.C. at 612-362-0000 today.
