A fire can start anywhere at any time! Knowing what the most common causes are can help you take precautions to prevent a fire from occurring. Below is a list of the four most common causes of fires and tips on how you can help prevent them.
- Kitchen Fires: Fires starting in the kitchen are the most common type of fire. Heat, electricity, water, and grease are fire hazards that are found in kitchens. Grease fires are the most common type of kitchen fire. They can get out of control and spread quickly making them highly dangerous. Leaving a frying pan on the stove unattended and overheating a pan during attended cooking are common ways that grease fires start. Oven fires and appliance fires are other types of kitchen fires. If electricity contacts water, then a fire can occur.
- Electrical Fires: The second most common type of fire is electrical. Worn or faulty electrical wiring, improper use of electrical outlets, faulty appliances and defective breaker boxes frequently start fires. Often the wiring in older homes becomes frayed or worn, causing shorts and sparks that ignite easily. The increased usage of electricity for the number of appliances can overload the circuits. Old breaker boxes with worn or broken connections don’t shut off the electric current when the circuit becomes overloaded.
- Heater Fires: During the winter months, space heaters and electric blankets are a common cause of fires. Space heaters should always have automatic shutoffs when they overheat as a fire precaution. They should be at least three feet from anything combustible like curtains, bedding, clothing and furniture. Always turn the space heater off when leaving the room.
- Smoking-Related Fires: The fourth leading cause of fires is smoking. Most fires are caused by embers igniting on bedding, furniture, or in trash cans. Smokers should completely extinguish cigarettes before emptying ashtrays into the trash. Smoking outside is the best way to prevent smoking-related fires and putting out cigarette butts in sand filled cans.
Being aware of the dangers of these common causes of fires can help you prevent fires and save lives. Take precautions to ensure that a fire is unlikely to occur. Call Fire Control Systems to help with any of your fire safety needs.
