Three Useful Ways To Prevent Kitchen Fires

The government reported that there were around 145,000 fires recorded last year in the UK. The three elements needed to start a fire are a mutually exclusive mix commonly dubbed the “fire triangle”; oxygen, heat, and fuel. Fires most regularly originate in the kitchen due to the prevalence of all three of these elements. If we strengthen fire awareness and safety measures in both residential and commercial kitchens, we can potentially see a decrease in fires, preventing injury and saving lives in the process.

Cook With Caution

A good start to kitchen safety is to never leave cooking unattended: you should turn the stove completely off if you are to leave the room. Another practical tip is to avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs. If you happen to be both hungry and inebriated getting a takeaway is a good idea for your safety - as well as there being no harm in treating yourself!

Having a fire extinguisher to hand is an excellent way to put out a fire in a fast and effective manner, essential for both residential and commercial properties. It is paramount to ensure that your fire extinguisher is maintained regularly, a service provided by Thameside Fire Protection.

Avoid Deep Fat Frying

Deep fat fryers and chip pans are an incredibly common source of kitchen fires, and if either your home or workplace has such a device it is important to use it with extreme precaution. For starters, you should never fill it with more than a third full of oil, and use a thermometer-controlled appliance to stop it from overheating, whilst also testing the fryer’s temperature with a small piece of bread before cooking.

If a fire happens to take place, remove the source of heat, cover the fryer with a metal lid to stop it from spreading, and use a Class B fire extinguisher to put it out. Never use water to put out a fire, as it can cause the burning grease to splash and spread the fire around.

Attend Fire Safety Training

Fire safety training is an ideal way to ready yourself for the potentially fatal effects of kitchen-based and other fires. Building up awareness of emergency procedures at both home and in the workplace can be an excellent source of fire prevention, ensuring that a fire doesn’t even happen in the first place.

At Thameside Fire Protection, you can undergo courses such as fire warden training, emergency situation training, and first aid training. If such a regrettable event happens, these three courses, run by industry experts with 30 years of experience, can help you keep calm and work effectively to stop the fire, possibly saving lives in the process.

Contact Us

We are a family-owned and run fire safety company that has operated successfully since 1985. With 24-hour, nationwide coverage, our services can vary from the installation of fire alarms and sprinkler systems to training courses and risk assessments. Whatever your fire safety needs, contact us today at 0800 975 4888 and enquiries@thamesidefire.co.uk.