Cooking Fire Safety

Recipe for Fire-Safe Cooking

Firefighters from the Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Fire Department recently responded to a fire on campus caused by unattended cooking.  No one was injured, but the fire was hot enough to melt the knobs on the stove (see above photo) and smoke caused significant damage to University property. 

Unattended cooking is the second leading cause of house or apartment fires in America.  Would it surprise you to know that approximately 5 out of 6 fires in student residences are started by cooking?

Following University Fire Safety Policies and being mindful while you cook will go a long way toward helping prevent these fires and keeping the campus community safe. 

Dormitory residents are reminded that in-room cooking is permitted only with the use of microwaves. Residents may not use hot plates, electric frying plans, oil popcorn poppers, toasters, toaster ovens, halogen bulbs, etc. as a fire safety precaution.

Also, the University Apartment Handbook states that, “Cooking must be supervised by an adult at all times.”

The Office of Campus Safety offers the following tips to avoid cooking fires where cooking is allowed:

• Never leave food unattended while heat is being applied, whether you are microwaving, frying, grilling, or broiling, or even if the device is set to “low”.
• Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires.
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.
• For a microwave fire, keep the microwave door closed and unplug the unit.
• Be familiar with the proper extinguishment method for your device and its fuel source.
• Be sure to turn off the oven or stovetop once you are through cooking.