Unattended Cooking Fires

[Kent]

As part of an effort to eliminate the number one cause of fires, and the number one reason for firefighter call-outs, I'm undertaking a research effort into Unattended Cooking Fires.

I plan to interview as many victims of these fires as possible, as well as firefighters. If you know of anyone who has suffered injuries, property damage, or other loss from a kitchen fire, please contact me immediately. I'd love to hear about cooking fires from the firefighters' point of view, too.

Thanks very much.

Kent Clizbe
GateSource Partners
kent@gatesource.com
703-222-6627

[Diane]

They're pretty popular in the West Haven area of CT. When I was at school there, all we heard on the scanner was car-lock-outs and food on the stove calls. I experience the cooking fires while in College Park, MD, too. A mixture of college (a lot of the time foreign students who don't quite understand American appliances) students and low-income residency tends to bring on the cooking fires.......

[stevedm_uk]

I was in charge of of a pump that attended a kitchen fire just over a week ago,
we got the call at about 1am and were there within 6 mins. 2 caba sent in thru front door with a reel, I checked around the back to find the kitchen well alight, 2nd pump arrives, 2 caba sent in thru kitchen.
2 mins later unconcious female adult brought out thru front door, 5 mins later unconcious male child, unfortunately resuscitation attempts failed for mother and child.
Damage: extensive heat and fire damage to kitchen an contents, fire had spread vertical thru false ceiling joist & floorboards into bathroom on upper floor,
remainder of lower and upper floors sever smoke and moderate heat damage. estimated that the fire had been going for some 30-40 mins. battery operated domestic smoke alarm had actuated and was even sounding when it was hanging from the ceiling, due to the heat.
Cause: without doubt, pan of food left on cooker ring burnt while unattended, why the occupant failed to hear the smoke alarm we don't yet know, possibly asleep or the affects of alchohol.