Springfield’s fire department is reminding cooks this Thanksgiving to be mindful of the dangers of fire.
75 cooking fires have been reported in the city year-to-date. And most of those fires, according to department officials, could have been avoided.
The fire department advises you stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop, stay at home while cooking your turkey, keep children away from the stove, keep combustibles at least three feet away at all times, and make sure smoke alarms are working.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.
Officials also point to many injuries that can result from cooking fires. They say three of every five (58%) reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves. If you feel the fire is small enough to try and put out yourself, make sure you know the proper way to do it.
For a small fire in a pan on the stove, use an oven mitt to slide the lid over it and turn off the burner. Leave the lid on until it is completely cool. Never use water to extinguish a stove top fire! For a small fire in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed until the fire goes out. Finally, for a small microwave fire, turn it off and unplug it. Keep the door closed until the fire is completely out.
The Springfield fire Department also recommends keeping a fire extinguisher nearby to put out small and contained fires. To use a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS. Pull the pin. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. Squeeze the handle. Sweep back and forth. Before using an extinguisher, make sure no one needs help evacuating and someone has called 911. Once the fire is out, exit the building and wait for the fire department to arrive to ensure the fire did not reignite.