It can happen in a matter of seconds. One second you are cooking and something distracts you like the children in the other room, someone at the door, or a phone call and you leave the stove for a few seconds. The next thing you experience are flames shooting up from the stove catching the cabinets, hood, and curtains on fire.

Each year, MAX receive fire claims for unattended cooking fires. Often, the fire damages the kitchen and can cause smoke damage throughout the home. Repairs can take several weeks and families are displaced during construction. Many insureds are devastated by these type of losses and are equally surprised at how fast the fire got out of control.

These fires may be prevented by a few simple precautions:
1) Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended, especially when cooking with grease
2) Always turn the stove off if you need to leave
3) If you allow your older children to use the stove, go over safety rules
4) Have a fire extinguisher readily available and know how to use it

We encourage our MAX members to review these tips and help prevent a cooking fire in their homes. For more safety tips, click here.

Photo by pragensismac