Firefighters offer kitchen fire-safety tips

After a Friday afternoon fire damaged an apartment complex in Columbus, local firefighters are offering safety tips.

Cooking fires are the number one cause of residential fire and fire related injury. The Columbus Fire Department offers these cooking safety tips:

  • Stay in the kitchen if for are actively cooking on a stove top.
  • Keep combustible items – like towels, paper products and pot holders- away from a hot stove.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher near the kitchen ensuring you can access it without placing yourself in harms way.
  • If you can’t safety extinguish the fire, get out and call 9-1-1.
  • Always have working smoke alarms inside your home.
  • Plan and practice a home fire escape drill: Know two ways out of every room. Crawl on the floor to escape dangerous smoke. Have an outside safe meeting place designated for the entire family. Once you get out, stay out! Never return inside a burning building.