Cooking is a fire danger in winter
06 July 2009
Forgetful cooks are the greatest fire hazard facing Perth homes this winter, according to a new analysis released by the RAC.
A review of RAC Insurance claims data has revealed that food left unattended on stove tops and in ovens and grills headed the list of the most common causes of household fires.
Older hot water systems, particularly gas instantaneous units, were another major cause of household fires.
RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said the winter months were a danger period for home fires
“Food left unattended on a stove top seems to be a persistent cause of fires throughout the year,” Mr Brown said.
“But there is a definite spike in the number of fires which start this way over the winter months. Our data shows that one third of all fires reported over winter were caused by stove fires.
“This is probably because people do more cooking inside during the winter than they do in the summer and the chance of leaving pots unattended is greater.”
The RAC has also warned that all hot water systems should be regularly maintained in line with manufacturer’s instructions to minimise the risk of fire.
“We had a number of older hot water systems catch fire last year,” Mr Brown said.
“The majority of these were gas instantaneous units where an air pocket had formed in the gas line which has been ignited by the unit’s pilot light.
“We strongly recommend a regular safety check of these older systems by a licensed gas plumber.”
According to RAC Insurance claims the five main causes of house fire over winter are:
1. Food/oil on stove top
2. Oven/grill
3. Hot water system
4. Wood fire (fire place/pot bellied stove)
5. Candles
The RAC recommends homeowners invest in a small disposable dry powder fire extinguisher for kitchen fire emergencies but warns that if in any doubt about a fire homeowners should immediately call 000.
It is also essential for every home to have working smoke detectors installed which are tested regularly and that families have developed their home evacuation plan in case of emergency.
Download the release