One of the areas in the home most prone to fires is the kitchen. The power source (gas or electric) can be defective. The resulting flame or fire, the capacity of walls to accumulate grease, and problems with the stove-top or other kitchen appliances itself may lead to a significant fire in your house or apartment.
Common kitchen fires include grease fires, defective or broken appliances – including wires, hoses, or other connection points, stove tip overs, oven fires, and stove top fires. Fires in kitchens are preventable with easy to implement safety guidelines. Fire alarm systems can help prevent the spread of fires to other parts of the home.
What Makes Kitchens and Cooking Fires to Hazardous?
The hazards in kitchens revolve around the cooking process. Especially when left unattended a kitchen and cooking fire may break out quickly and spread to other areas of the home. Among the sources of kitchen and cooking fires are:
- Heat or flames near grease or other flammable liquids;
- Improperly maintained cooking devices;
- Mechanical errors involving kitchen appliances, like stoves, microwaves or ovens; or
- Negligent behavior around the stove or oven (i.e. playing games or throwing things around the stove or oven).
Protecting Your Family and Belongings
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking is the leading cause of house fires in the United States and is the leading cause of house fire injuries. These fires are caused by human error such as unattended cooking and defective kitchen appliances like stoves and ovens. To help people avoid kitchen fires, the American Red Cross recommends the following:
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Check your food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking.
- Use a timer so you’ll remember that the stove or oven is on.
- Don’t wear loose clothing while cooking
- Keep kids away from the cooking zone – no playing at or around the oven or stone.
- Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
- Keep items that can catch fire – pot holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic bags – away from your stove.
- Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
- Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen.
Injured by a Kitchen or Cooking Fire in Massachusetts?
Experienced Boston Area Personal Injury Attorneys – Initial Consultations Are Always Free – No Fee Unless We Recover For You
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a kitchen and cooking fire accident, then call the kitchen fire lawyers at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan today. We have a proven track record with over 35 years of legal experience. Our cooking fire accident lawyers have successfully represented victims of fire accidents for decades and we are ready to take on your case today.
No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call our law offices today to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at (508) 588-0422 or click the link below to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.
Our personal injury lawyers assist accident victims throughout all of Massachusetts, including but not limited to Plymouth County including Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable, Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke, and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.
