Kitchen fires prompt warning

February 10th, 2012

Almost half of all household fires start in the kitchen and people need to be more vigilant when cooking, Fire and Rescue NSW has warned. The caveat comes after an elderly woman was taken to hospital suffering the effects of smoke inhilation following a kitchen fire.

Safety in the kitchen

Fire Commissioner Greg Mullims said kitchen fires make up 49 per cent of all household fires attended by Fire and Rescue NSW each year and that safety in the kitchen is important.

Safety in the kitchen

“These fires can quickly get out of control and put the entire property at risk, not to mention the risk of injury to you or your family,” Commissioner Greg Mulllins said.

“Never leave cooking unattended – irrespective of it being in a kitchen, outside on a barbeque or even an outside kitchen oven; keep a fire blanket or portable fire extinguisher nearby.”

“Have a home escape plan in case of fire and practice it regularly.

“Most importantly, have an adequate number of smoke alarms installed throughout your home and make sure that you test them regularly. In case of fire, dial 000.”

Statistics also reveal that 43 per cent of all fire fatalities occur in winter.

More safety in the kitchen tips

Check for recalls. Ocassionally electrical appliances are recalled by the manufacturer. This year for example, a Sanyo mircrowave was recalled due to the risk of electric shocks and last year a Sony TV was recalled due to the possibility of over-heating and causing fires. You can check for product recalls at the ACCC website.
Keep burners, stove tops, and rangehoods clean of grease and other flammable debris. You can learn how to clean your rangehood here.
Keep the inside of ovens clean, and keep the door and all seals clear of muck. Pyrolytic ovens (self-cleaning) make this job a lot easier!
Unplug small appliances when they’re not in use or when you go on holidays. Appliances on standby account for 10 per cent of your energy bill!
Inspect power cords and extension cords watching out for frays, open wiring, pinching and overloading.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.