Combustible Materials Near a Burning Stovetop Causes House Fire
On the afternoon of June 7, 2024, Prince William County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the 12600 blk of Dulcinea Place in Lake Ridge for reports of a townhouse fire. Crews arrived to find heavy fire showing. Fire attack quickly brought the blaze under control. However, the home sustained extensive damage and was determined to be unsafe to occupy by the Building Official. The adjoining townhomes were not significantly impacted. Two (2) adults and one (1) child were displaced by the incident. The Prince William County Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire was combustible materials left too close to the burning stovetop.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. In 2021, fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 170,000 home cooking fires which caused an estimated 135 deaths, 3,000 injuries and over $494 million in property loss.
These statistics are the reason why sharing cooking fire prevention and safety tips is so important. Keep you and your family safe when cooking at home.
- Most cooking fires involve the stovetop, so if you’re simmering, boiling, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
- Watch what you are cooking. Fires start when the heat is too high. If you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
- Keep anything that can catch fire — paper towels, oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels and curtains — away from your stovetop.
- Don’t leave items on the stove or in the oven unattended.
- Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.
- Always keep a lid nearby when you cook. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, slide the pan lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled.
- Turn off the stove when you leave the kitchen, even if it’s for a short period of time.
- If you have a fire in your oven, turn it off. Let the contents cool before cleaning.
- Clean cooking equipment after each use. Grease on the stove can catch on fire.
- Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
- Creating a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove.