CLEARLAKE ? Lake County Fire Protection District quickly extinguished a kitchen fire at a residence on the 16300 block of 35th Avenue Tuesday evening. The fire was contained and cleanup was complete in less than 30 minutes.
According to LCFPD Battalion Chief Willie Sapeta, preliminary investigation of the incident showed the was accidental.
There were two occupants in the dwelling when the fire ignited. A man and his son escaped without injury, as did their dog, which was found unharmed, hiding under a bed. A cat is also believed to have escaped unharmed.
Sapeta, who reported that the occupants of the home were in the process of moving, estimated damage at $50,000 to $60,000.
There are several Web sites available that offer fire safety and prevention tips. According to www.FamilyEducation.com you should always match food and pan size. Don”t use a pan that is too big or small for what you are cooking. A big pan will boil dry too quickly and food can slop over the sides of small pan and cause grease splatters. Use the minimum amount of heat and oil necessary to create the desired results. Do not heat oil to its smoking point. If oil gets to this point, immediately remove it from the heat source and let it cool down.
Always use cookware as intended by the manufacturer. Don”t use anything other than a deep fryer to deep-fry food. If food has been washed or is damp, drain or pat it dry before placing it in cooking oil to avoid splattering. Use a splatter guard when cooking and never wear loose-fitting clothing while you cook. You should never use towels when handling pots and pans as they tend to ignite easily if they brush against the heating element. Fireproof gloves are highly recommended.
A grease fire can be one of the most dangerous types of kitchen fires. Never put water on a grease fire. Water will splatter the grease and dramatically increase the size of the fire. Never try to carry a flaming grease fire outside. It will quickly become too hot to carry and will certainly spread the fire throughout the entire area.
There are several ways to put out a grease fire on the stove. The simplest way is to place a lid on the pan and fire should suffocate. A large amount of baking soda can also be used to extinguish a grease fire. Once the fire is extinguished, don”t forget to turn off the burner.
In all cases of fire, make sure everyone evacuates the home and call 911. If the fire is very small you can try to extinguish it but if it gets out of control, get out of the house and wait for the fire department to arrive.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
