For many in Indianapolis, Indiana, cooking is truly a relaxing activity. For them, there’s nothing more therapeutic and soothing than putting all the ingredients of a special dish together and seeing it cook to perfection. People who have suffered fire accidents in the kitchen, however, can only hope to have such benign memories of their cooking experience.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the use of cooking equipment was the leading cause of home structure fires in the United States between 2007 and 2011, accounting for 43% of all reported cases of domestic fires. Cooking fires also caused more than 2,500 deaths, over 13,200 injuries, and about $7.2 billion in property damage every year during the same period.

At Midwest Remediation, we advocate fire safety in Indiana homes. In this article, we share some important tips you can follow for the safe use of your cooking equipment.

• If you are sleepy, intoxicated, or have used a medicine that has made you drowsy, don’t attempt to cook.
• Never leave your cooking unattended, even for just a few seconds. Turn off the stove if you are leaving it out of sight.
• Make use of a timer as a precautionary measure, just to remind yourself that you are cooking something in case you forget about it.
• Don’t overcook, especially if you are frying something. Cooking oil or grease can get hot very quickly.
• Never douse grease fires with water. This is very dangerous and can cause severe injuries. Cover a grease fire with a pan lid instead to deprive the fire of oxygen.
• Don’t place combustible items like paper towels, mittens, washcloths, and food packaging near the heating element of the stove.
• Keep the kitchen off limits to kids.
• Have a fire extinguisher ready. Make sure that your extinguishing equipment is suitable for fires that can occur in your kitchen.
• Keep your cooking area clean to prevent the accumulation of combustible substances like cooking oil or grease on surfaces.
• Take the time to make sure that all your kitchen appliances are turned off before you go to sleep or leave your house.
• Install a fire alarm system which can warn you promptly if a fire occurs in your kitchen.

If your home has been affected by a devastating kitchen fire, contact Midwest Remediation immediately for prompt restoration of your property. Call us at (317) 826-0940.