The kitchen is one of the most vulnerable areas of the home when it comes to fire accidents. There are several ways you can avoid a fire while cooking, and keep your kitchen and your home fire-safe.

Important tips for kitchen fire safety:

At the stove

  • Never leave cooking unattended.
  • Keep children away from cooktops and ovens during cooking.
  • Heat cooking oil slowly and carefully to avoid overheating or splashing oil.
  • If cooking oil catches fire, turn off the hotplate and use a lid or fire blanket to smother the fire. 
  • Cooking oil fires are extremely hot and dangerous. If you don’t feel confident, switch off the power, leave the premises and dial 000.
  • Never use water to try and extinguish a cooking fire.

Good kitchen habits

  • When cooking, ensure saucepans and pot handles are turned inwards to prevent accidental knocks while keeping them out of reach of children.
  • Keep your hotplates and workspace clean, along with the rangehood and other kitchen appliances.
  • Ensure all cooking appliances are turned off after use.

Install the right equipment

  • Install a smoke alarm and test it regularly. It is not recommended to install a smoke detector in the kitchen; however, make sure there is one nearby.
  • Install a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen and make sure you know how to use them. They need to be installed at least 1 metre away from the cooking area, ideally towards the nearest exit.

Introducing Stove Guard by InnoHome

Stove Guard by InnoHome is a smart device that works as a preventive mechanism to minimise the risk of fires in your kitchen. Stove Guard consists of an intelligent heat sensor, which mounts under your rangehood, and links wirelessly to the controller. If the sensor detects a dangerous level of heat on the cooktop, it immediately cuts the power to the cooktop, preventing a fire before it starts.

Stove Guard is recommended for residential homes as well as independent living apartments, aged care facilities, student accommodation, and holiday rental units among others.

Video resources:

What is a Stove Guard? Watch

Live test of Stove Guard on a high power induction cooktop Watch

Over 50% of house fires start in the kitchen Watch

Stove Guard on Discovery Channel Watch