Cooking fires remain the most common cause of house fires, as the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office encourages all of us to reduce residential fire risks.
Baxter Fire Chief Matthew White said the guidance focuses on maintaining working smoke alarms, using safe cooking practices, operating heaters correctly, and creating a home fire escape plan. White said cooking fires are especially common because they often involve distraction or leaving food unattended. He said fires can escalate in seconds when heat sources are not closely monitored.
“That is one of the main sources of fires in the home, residential,” White said. “We like to practice a campaign of never leaving your pan. If you’re cooking, never leave the presence of the kitchen, because it doesn’t take but just a few seconds for that to get out of hand and cause a huge problem.”
White said unattended cooking frequently leads to grease fires that spread quickly to cabinets and nearby surfaces. He said residents should know how to safely smother a pan fire and keep basic fire safety tools accessible in the kitchen.
“Unattended cooking is one of the main causes that does take place,” White said. “A lot of times you can put a lid over your pan and smother the fire out so you don’t have to worry about it spreading from that point.”
White said proper heater use becomes more important during colder weather, particularly when households rely on space heaters. He said heaters should never be placed near combustible materials or in areas where they can be knocked over.
“We need to keep the distance of those heaters three feet from any type of combustibles,” White said. “You don’t want to put it anywhere like in a pathway where you might knock it over, because those are safety factors.”
White said working smoke alarms are the most important safety feature in a home and should be installed in every bedroom, common areas, and on each floor. He said local fire departments can help residents install alarms through partnerships with the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
“There’s a test button on your smoke alarm that you can use, and we recommend testing them regularly to make sure they work,” White said. “If they chirp or beep, you can call your local fire department, and we’ll come out and check or replace them for you.”
White said families should also develop and practice a home fire escape plan that includes two ways out of each room and a designated meeting place outside. He said preparation helps residents respond quickly and safely during emergencies.
“Practicing that fire safety plan is critical because in the moment of crisis, it’s hard to remember exactly what everybody should do,” White said. “The more you practice, the better you get at it.”
White said residents can find example escape plans through the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office or by contacting their local fire department for assistance specific to their home.