The average American cooks six meals a week at home, so it's no surprise that cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking is responsible for the most home fire injuries and is the second leading cause of home fire deaths.
This guide outlines key risk factors, prevention tips, and fire response strategies every housing organization should know.
What you'll learn
- Why cooking fires happen and who is most at risk
- Which days and appliances see the most incidents
- Steps to prevent fires while frying, boiling, baking, or broiling
- Safe actions to take if a kitchen fire breaks out
- How to educate residents about cooking fire prevention
Why this matters
From 2017 to 2021, cooking caused an average of 158,400 reported home structure fires annually—accounting for 44% of all U.S. home fires. These incidents resulted in over 470 deaths, 4,150 injuries, and $1.15 billion in property damage each year.
Many of these fires could have been prevented with proper education, supervision, and basic safety measures. As a housing provider, you have the opportunity to improve the safety and well-being of your residents.
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