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One of the biggest dangers of a kitchen fire is death. Inhaling carbon monoxide, not getting out of the house in time, and many more things can cause this. Another danger is reduced viability. This can happen from the vapors and gasses of the fire. This can make you not be able to find an exit in time. Burns are another danger of house fires. Of course, there are MANY dangers, but these are the most common.

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The main danger from smoke is reduced visibility, while the adverse effect on body functions is the concern with gases and vapors. Smoke can slow the escape from a burning building and prolongs the exposure to harmful effects of toxic products.

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Two thirds (66%) of kitchen fires started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. Clothing started (1%) of these fires. Clothing catching on fire led to 18% of the kitchen fire deaths.
Unattended equipment had a part in one third (33%) of kitchen fires and half of the associated deaths with the fire.

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Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.
What you should know about home cooking safety

Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don't use the stove or stovetop.

Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.

If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the kitchen while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

Keep anything that can catch fire - oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains - away from your stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire

Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.

If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.

Keep a lid nearby when you're cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.

For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

NFPA's Lisa Braxton explains how a few simple safety tips can protect you and your family from a potentially devastating home fire.
Cooking fires by the numbers (Based on 2011-2015 annual averages)

Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home* fires and fire injuries, causing 47% of home fires that resulted in 20% of the home fire deaths and 45% of the injuries.

Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials.

Clothing is the item first ignited in less than 1% of these fires, but clothing ignitions lead to 18% of the home cooking equipment fire deaths.

Ranges or cooktops account for the majority (62%) of home cooking fire incidents.

Unattended equipment is a factor in one-third (33%) of reported home cooking fires and half (43%) of the associated deaths.

Frying dominates the cooking fire problem.

Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.

Sources: NFPA's Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment and Home Structure Fires reports.
* Homes include one- and two-family homes, apartments (regardless of ownership), and manufactured housing.

Safety considerations for cooking with oil

Always stay in the kitchen when frying on the stovetop.

Keep an eye on what you fry. If you see wisps of smoke or the oil smells, immediately turn off the burner and/or carefully remove the pan from the burner. Smoke is a danger sign that the oil is too hot.

Heat the oil slowly to the temperature you need for frying or sautéing.

Add food gently to the pot or pan so the oil does not splatter.

Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If you have a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again. Let the pan cool for a long time. Never throw water or use a fire extinguisher on the fire.

If the fire does not go out or you don't feel comfortable sliding a lid over the pan, get everyone out of your home. Call the fire department from outside.

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fire prevention and preparedness education

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What you should know about home cooking safety Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don't use the stove or stovetop. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.

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Multi-tasking while cooking is going to be your biggest culprit. Unattended cooking is one of the leading causes in kitchen fires. You should only cook when you're alert. Not when you're tired. Install smoke alarms around the house so if a fire does happen your local fire department will be alerted, and make sure you test them once a month. 15% of house fires lead to deaths every year, so it is important to be sure that you're being safe while cooking.

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As a first responder I have witnessed many tragedies due to home fires. Sadly more fires start in the kitchen than in any other place in the home. Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen while food is cooking. Beyond being common, cooking fires are also deadly. On average, they cause 44 percent of home fires, 15 percent of home fire deaths and 38 percent of home fire injuries each year.

Multitasking while cooking is the biggest culprit and certainly not a good idea. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires, responsible for one-third of them. Frying is the number one activity associated with cooking fires. Cooking oil or grease can easily catch fire if it gets too hot and because frying is typically done in an open pan, a fire can spread easily once it starts.

Ranges or cook-tops are the most common equipment involved in home cooking fires. These account for 58 percent of fires. Ovens account for 16 percent. In fact, an electric range is more dangerous than a gas range. That's because, with an electric range, it may be less obvious that a burner is on. Remember, burners on electric ranges stay hot for a period of time even when turned off.

Microwave ovens are more dangerous than most folks think. They're one of the leading home products associated with scald burn injuries, accounting for 44 percent of the microwave injuries seen in emergency rooms in 2011.

In the kitchen, it usually isn't fires that burn young kids. More often, it's contact with a hot stove or pans or a scald from hot cooking liquids or steam. In fact, children under age 5 accounted for 55 percent of tableware scalds, 42 percent of contact burns from ranges or ovens, and 34 percent of microwave scalds in 2011.

What you wear while cooking makes a difference. Though loose clothing was the item first ignited in only 1 percent of home cooking fires, these incidents accounted for 16 percent of cooking fire deaths.

Taking matters into your own hands can make matters worse. Three out of five people who were injured during cooking fires were injured while trying to fight the fire themselves.

ORR Safety offers 10 tips to keep your family safe

1. Cook only when you're alert -- not when you're exhausted, not when you've been drinking.

2. Keep an eye on what you fry. If you have to step away from the stove, turn it off.

3. Keep things that can catch fire -- such as dish towels, potholders and paper towels -- away from the stove. And avoid cooking in your bathrobe -- the loose sleeves can catch fire easily.

4. Keep hot things away from the edges of tables and counters.

5. Open microwaved food slowly, and keep the food away from your face.

6. Have a "kid-free" zone of at least 3 feet around the stove and anything hot -- and never hold your child while you're cooking or carrying something hot.

7. Teach kids to stay away from the stove and hot foods.

8. Keep pets off cooking surfaces.

9. Install smoke alarms in the kitchen, outside each sleeping area, inside each bedroom, and on every level of your home (including the basement).

10. If you have a fire, just get outside, stay outside and call the fire department.

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As a first responder I have witnessed many tragedies due to home fires. Sadly more fires start in the kitchen than in any other place in the home. Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen while food is cooking. Beyond being common, cooking fires are also deadly.

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1. Never leave your food unattended. If you must leave, turn off the oven until you get back.
2. Check your food regularly!
3. Use a timer! This will help you remember that your oven/stove is on!
4. DO NOT wear loose clothes or loose sleeves while cooking.
5. Keep small children away from cooking area! Not only will this prevent a fire but also burns.
6. Keep flammable objects away from stove!
(In the event that a grease fire happens DO NOT use water. Use flour or else the fire will get larger.)

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Did you know the kitchen is where more home fires occur than anywhere else in the house and that cooking is the number one cause of home fires? The American Red Cross has steps everyone can follow to avoid a cooking fire: