Louisiana - According to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office, a family in Keithville experienced a moment of panic while preparing dinner on an evening earlier in January.
An 11-year-old in the mobile home was frying corn dogs on the stove with hot oil, but left briefly. Upon returning, they discovered that the pot and the ventilation hood above it had caught fire. The owner of the home tried to extinguish the fire by moving the pot to the sink. Regrettably, the fire spread to a curtain hanging over the sink and ignited the fiberglass sink as well.
The home had functional smoke alarms that prompted the family to abandon their attempts to put out the fire and instead evacuate. The alarms also made the neighbors aware of the emergency and they assisted in safely getting a bedridden man out of the home.
Although all three residents suffered from smoke inhalation, they were quickly treated and discharged.
Even though this family sadly suffered the loss of their home, they are grateful that they still have their lives.
From their experience, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office shared a proven and reliable method for ensuring safety in the kitchen.
- Always stay in the kitchen while cooking and never leave it unattended.
- Ensure vent hoods are cleaned frequently
- To extinguish small fires on the stove, utilize the cover of the pan or pot.
- Make sure that there are no easily flammable items, such as paper towels, in the cooking area.
- Have working smoke alarms
- Ensure that you have a well-developed and regularly practiced plan for escaping from your residence.