With a constant heat source coupled with foodstuffs being cooked, it’s probably not all that surprising that negligence around stoves and ovens in the kitchen is the number one cause of home fires and related injuries.

Kevin Fahy Kitchens & Baths wants everyone to be safe in his or her kitchen, and that means using your cooking appliances in your Utica, NY home safely. According to statistics from the National Fire Prevention Association, cooking that is left on the stove or in the oven unattended causes most of the fires in the kitchen. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also notes that 63 percent of range or stove fires occurred while someone is frying with 43 percent sparked by the cooking oil.

Maybe you thought you could sneak in a quick phone call, or a couple chores, or just decided to take a short nap that lasted a bit longer than planned. Whatever the temptation, don’t do it — if you are cooking, stay alert to the process and don’t leave your stove unattended.

It is natural to want a midnight snack, but stay away from one that needs to be heated in the middle of the night because you might not get it fully cooked before you nod back off. Likewise, it’s common to need a munch after you’ve had a few toddies, but never fire up your stove after consuming alcohol. You don’t have to be drunk to be drowsy from the drinks, and that can also lead to falling asleep with food on the stove or in the oven that quickly goes from cooking to burning.

Move everything that is flammable away from the stovetop. That even includes the oven mitt. Make sure you have a lid nearby when you are frying something on the stove, because if it does erupt into flames the lid can smother the fire. And make sure you don’t panic and throw the flaming frying pan, because that will spread the flames around the room. For fires in the oven, keep the door closed and turn the heat off.

The toaster can also be ground zero for a fire outbreak. Ever have something get stuck in there and burst into flames? Sure, we all have. Imagine if you weren’t in the room when that happened, and there was nobody to shake the toaster to get it out.

If all your preparations fail and a fire does grow out of control, close the kitchen door to contain the fire, get out of the house, and call the fire department.

The bottom line is, if you are baking, frying, grilling, broiling, reheating, or toasting, stay in the kitchen! If you have to leave the kitchen even for a short period of time, turn off the stove, check to see that your toaster is done toasting, and make sure to check the oven regularly. You don’t want to also become a fire statistic, or worse.

Kevin Fahy Kitchens and Baths is located at 1908 Oriskany Street West in Utica, N.Y. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are appreciated. For more information, give us a call at (315) 735-8181.