Tài liệu HOME FIRES INVOLVING COOKING EQUIPMENT ppt

HOME FIRES INVOLVING COOKING EQUIPMENT







John R. Hall, Jr.
Fire Analysis and Research Division
National Fire Protection Association

February 2008

National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471
www.nfpa.org



Abstract

In 2005, an estimated 146,400 U.S. home structure fires involving cooking equipment resulted in
480 civilian deaths, 4,690 civilian injuries, and $876 million in direct property damage.

Ranges, with or without ovens, account for two-thirds (67%) of total reported confined or non-
confined home structure fires involving cooking equipment and even larger shares of associated
civilian deaths (85%) and civilian injuries (82%). Portable cooking or warming devices had the
third largest share of home cooking fires but the second largest share of associated civilian
deaths.

Keywords: Range, oven, microwave, toaster, grill, frying, fryer, fire statistics

Acknowledgements

The National Fire Protection Association thanks all the fire departments and state fire
authorities who participate in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) and the
annual NFPA fire experience survey. These firefighters are the original sources of the
detailed data that make this analysis possible. Their contributions allow us to estimate the
size of the fire problem.

We are also grateful to the U.S. Fire Administration for its work in developing, coordinating,
and maintaining NFIRS.



For more information about the National Fire Protection Association, visit www.nfpa.org or call
617-770-3000. To learn more about the One-Stop Data Shop go to www.nfpa.org/osds or call
617-984-7450.

Copies of this analysis are available from:

National Fire Protection Association
One-Stop Data Shop
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169-7471
www.nfpa.org
e-mail:
phone: 617-984-7450

NFPA No. USS11
Copyright © 2008, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA

Executive Summary

In 2005, an estimated 146,400 U.S. home structure fires involving cooking equipment resulted in
480 civilian deaths, 4,690 civilian injuries, and $876 million in direct property damage. Cooking
is the leading cause of home structure fires and associated civilian injuries.

The numbers of home cooking fires in 2002-2005 were the highest totals estimated since 1981.
Except for the 1990s, the number of estimated deaths in home structure cooking equipment fires
has fallen in the range of 450 to 530 in most years covered in Table 1, and there has been no
clear trend. Associated civilian injuries have shown no clear trend since 2002, when NFIRS
Version 5.0 was well established, and the total is below the level in 1998, which was at the end
of a decade-long downward trend. Associated direct property damage adjusted for inflation was
the highest since 1981 except for the 1991 total, which is distorted by estimation problems
unique to that year.

The recent increases in home cooking fires coincides with the introduction of confined cooking
fire as a coding option. Therefore, it is not clear whether the increase reflects a real increase in
fires or a shift in how incidents are coded. The increase in inflation-adjusted property damage is
not so easily explained by the change in coding options.

Cooking equipment accounted for 40% of total home structure fires in 2005, 16% of associated
civilian deaths, 36% of associated civilian injuries, and 13% of associated direct property
damage.

Ranges, with or without ovens, account for two-thirds (67%) of total reported confined or non-
confined home structure fires involving cooking equipment and even larger shares of associated
civilian deaths (85%) and civilian injuries (82%). Note that fires in ovens that are parts of
ranges often may be coded as range fires.

Portable cooking or warming devices had the third largest share of home cooking fires, after
ranges and ovens, but the second largest share of associated civilian deaths.

In 2006, cooking equipment accounted for 67,240 estimated injuries reported to U.S. hospital
emergency rooms.

The leading factors contributing to ignition for 2002-2005 non-confined home structure fires
involving cooking equipment were equipment unattended (38%), heat source too close to
combustibles (12%), unintentionally turned on or not turned off (10%), and abandoned or
discarded material or product (8%).

Frying appears to be the cooking method with the highest risk of fire. Frying accounted for 63%
of 218 range top cooking-material ignitions studied by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission. Deep fryers involve larger quantities of hot cooking oil than that involved in

*All statistics are based on National Electronic Injury Surveillance system (NEISS) data obtained from the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website, www.cpsc.gov
, accessed on October 27, 2007.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipments, 2/08 i NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA



regular frying, and turkey fryers involve extremely large quantities of hot cooking oil. These
characteristics may add to the fire or scald risk of these devices.

Three-fifths (59%) of civilian injuries suffered in home structure fires involving cooking
equipment occurred while the victim was trying to fight the fire, compared to one-third (35%) of
injuries suffered in any other type of home structure fire.

Also, 7% of civilian deaths in home structure fires involving cooking occurred as a result of
injuries while fighting the fire, compared to 3% of deaths in any other type of home structure
fire.

The majority (54%) of 2002-2005 non-confined structure fires involving cooking equipment
began with ignition of cooking materials.

Nearly all (93%) of 2002-2005 non-confined home structure fires involving cooking equipment
began in the kitchen.

Electric powered ranges have a higher risk of fires and associated losses than gas-fueled ranges.

Home fires involving cooking equipment are a holiday tradition, peaking on dates that are major
U.S. holidays with traditions of cooking, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipments, 2/08 ii NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA


Table of Contents

Executive Summary i
Table of Contents iii
List of Numbered Tables and Figures v
Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment Fact Sheet vii
Home Fires Involving Grills Fact Sheet ix
Home Fires Involving Microwave Ovens Fact Sheet xi
Introduction 1
Overview of Kitchen Equipment 3
All Cooking Equipment 5
Ranges 31
Ovens or Rotisseries 47

Portable Cooking or Warming Devices 61
Microwave Ovens 83
Grills 89
Deep Fryers 121
Grease Hoods or Duct Fans 129

Appendix A: How National Estimates Statistics Are Calculated 135












Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 iii NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 iv NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA


List of Numbered Tables and Figures


Page

Table A. Home Fires Involving Kitchen Equipment, Including Cooking Equipment 3

Figure 1. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Year 5
Table B. Home Structure Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Type of Device 6
Table C. Estimated Hospital Emergency Room Injuries Involving Cooking 8
Equipment, by Type of Equipment
Table D. Electrocution Deaths Involving Cooking Equipment 12

Figure 2. Percentage of Home Structure Fires, by Alarm Time 13
Table E. Leading Dates for Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment 14
Figure 3. Cooking Equipment Fire Victims by Gender 14
Figure 4. Extinguishment Method Reported in CPSC Study of Reported and 16
Unreported Fires
Table 1. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Year 20

Table 2. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Factor Contributing to Ignition 21
Table 3. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Human Factor 22
Contributing to Ignition
Table 4. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Item First Ignited 23
Table 5. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Area of Origin 24
Table 6. Trends in U.S. Use of Primary Cooking Power Sources 25

Table 7. Comparative Risks of Gas versus Electric Stoves 26
Table 8. U.S. Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide Deaths Involving Home Cooking Equipment 27
Table 9. Casualties in Home Structure Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 28
by Age of Victim
Table 10. Cooking Fire Problem in Other Countries 29

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 v NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 vi NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
One-Stop Data Shop
Fire Analysis and Research Division

One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169
Email:
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Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 vii NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment

In 2005, U.S. fire departments responded to 146,400 home
1
structure fires that involved cooking
equipment in 2005. These fires caused 480 civilian fire deaths, 4,690 civilian fire injuries,
$876 million in direct property damage.

• Cooking equipment fires are the leading cause of home structure fires and
associated civilian injuries.

• Ranges accounted for the largest share (67%) of home cooking fire incidents in
2005. Ovens accounted for 19%.

• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.

• In 2002-2005, unattended cooking equipment was the leading factor
contributing to home cooking fires (38%), deaths (45%), injuries (46%) and
direct property damage (37%).

• Twelve percent of the fire occurred when something that could catch fire was
too close to the equipment.

• Three-fifths (59%) of reported home cooking fire injuries occurred when
victims tried to fight the fire themselves.

• In a 1999 study of range fires by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, 83% of frying fires began in the first 15 minutes of cooking.
















• Only 1% of cooking fires began with
clothing but these clothing fires caused 12%
of the cooking fire deaths.
• One out of every five cooking fires that
began with clothing resulted in a death.

• In 2006, hospital emergency rooms treated around
29,850 thermal burns and 8,460 burns caused by
cooking equipment. Ranges accounted for 62% of
these thermal burns and grills 28%. Microwaves
accounted for 41% of the scald burns.

1
Homes are dwellings, duplexes, manufactured homes, apartments, townhouses, rowhouses and condominiums.
Home Cooking Equipment Fires
by Equipment Involved, 2005
1%
2%
2%
5%
7%
83%
0%
2%
0%
8%
2%

85%
1%
2%
5%
5%
19%
68%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Deep fryer
Grill, hibachi, or barbecue
Microwave oven
Oven
Fires
Civilian deaths
Civilian injuries
Range, with
or without oven
Portable cooking
or warming device
Reported Fire Injuries and Emergency Room Treated Burns
Involving Cooking Equipment
8%
23%
41%
4%
24%
1%
4%
4%
29%

1%
5%
2%
2%
90%
62%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Deep fryer
Portable cooking
or warming device
Microwave oven
Grill
Range or oven
2002-2005 Home fire injuries
2006 Thermal burns
2006 Scald burns

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 viii NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
One-Stop Data Shop
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One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169
Email:
www.nfpa.org

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 ix NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA

Home Fires Involving Grills

In 2005, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 8,300 home
1
fires involving grills, hibachis or
barbecues, including 3,400 structure fires and 4,900 outside fires. These 8,300 fires caused 10 civilian
deaths (to the nearest ten), 110 reported injuries and $137 million in direct property damage.

 Almost all the losses occurred in structure fires.

 The 3,400 home structure fires involving grills accounted for 2% of the reported home
cooking equipment fires, 3% of associated civilian deaths, and 2% of associated civilian
injuries, but 16% of the associated property damage.

 One-third (35%) of the non-confined
2
home structure fires involving grills started on an
exterior balcony or unenclosed porch, 18% started on a courtyard, terrace or patio, and
11% started on an exterior wall surface.

Fires rounded to the nearest 10.


• Gas grills were involved in a total of 7,200 home
fires, including 2,800 structure fires and 4,400
outdoor fires.
• Leak or break was the leading factor
contributing to gas grill fires.
• Flammable or combustible gas or liquid
was the leading item first ignited in gas
grill fires.
• Charcoal or other solid-fueled grills were
involved in a total 1,100 home fires, including
600 structure fires and 500 outside fires.
• The leading cause was something that
could burn being too close to the grill.
• Structural member or framing was first
ignited in one-fifth of the charcoal-or
other solid-fueled grill non-confined
structure fires. Exterior wall covering or
finish was first ignited in another one-
fifth.
An estimated 8,610 people were seen at hospital emergency rooms for thermal burns caused by
grills.

3
Most of these burns were due to contact with the grill, not fire.


2005 Home Grill Fires by Power Type

2,780

4,370

600

500

40

50

0
1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

Structure fires

Outdoor fires

Gas

Charcoal or other solid-fuel

Other

(81%)

(89%)

3,420

4,900

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 x NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
One-Stop Data Shop
Fire Analysis and Research Division
One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169
Email:
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Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipments, 2/08 xi NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA



Home Fires Involving Microwave Ovens

Microwave ovens were involved in an estimated 7,400 home

1
structure fires in 2005,
resulting in 87 civilian injuries and $18 million direct property damage. There were no
reported fire deaths.

• Nearly one-third (30%) of 2002-2005 non-confined microwave oven home
structure fires cited appliance housing or casing as the item first ignited.

• Microwave ovens involve more emergency room scald burn injuries than
any other cooking device.


• Nearly half (41%) of the microwave oven injuries seen at emergency rooms
in 2006 were scalds.


• Microwave ovens accounted for 41% of cooking equipment scald burns but
only 5% of home cooking structure fires.



Microwave Oven Share of
Cooking Equipment Injuries and Fires
5%
2%
4%
41%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Fires, 2002-2005
Fire injuries, 2002-2005

Thermal burns, 2006
Scald burns, 2006

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 xii NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
1
Introduction

“Cooking” refers to food preparation through the application of heat. Cooking equipment
therefore does not include all food processing equipment. For example, electric can openers and
food processors are excluded. These other types of equipment typically found in the kitchen are
analyzed in NFPA’s report on home fires involving kitchen equipment other than cooking
equipment.

Beginning in 1999, NFIRS Version 5.0 provides additional detail on the type of cooking
equipment, primarily specific types of portable cooking or warming devices. Here is an
overview of the new vs. old equipment categories.

Type of Equipment – NFIRS Version 5.0 Type of Equipment – NFIRS Version 4.1

631. Coffee maker or teapot 25. Portable cooking or warming device
632. Food warmer or hot plate 25. Portable cooking or warming device
633. Kettle 25. Portable cooking or warming device
634. Popcorn popper 25. Portable cooking or warming device
635. Pressure cooker or canner 25. Portable cooking or warming device
636. Slow cooker 25. Portable cooking or warming device
637. Toaster, toaster oven, or countertop
broiler

25. Portable cooking or warming device
638. Waffle iron or griddle 25. Portable cooking or warming device
639. Wok, frying pan or skillet 25. Portable cooking or warming device
641. Breadmaking machine 25. Portable cooking or warming device
642. Deep fryer 24. Deep fat fryer
643. Grill, hibachi, or barbecue 26. Open-fired grill
644. Microwave oven These devices could have been coded in up to
four places in NFIRS Version 4.1.
645. Oven or rotisserie 22. Fixed, stationary oven, including rotisserie
646. Range with or without an oven or
cooking surface, including counter-mounted
stove.
21. Fixed, stationary surface unit, including
stove
647. Steam table or warming drawer/table 23. Fixed, stationary food warming appliance
654. Grease hood or duct exhaust fan 27. Grease hood or duct
Incident type 113. Structure fire involving
contents of cooking vessel with no fire
extension beyond vessel.
Does not correspond to any specific type of
equipment in NFIRS Version 4.1.


Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
2


Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
3
Overview of Kitchen Equipment

Most equipment involved in food preparation, storage, clean-up or disposal is used primarily in
the kitchen and is here referred to as kitchen equipment, even when it is used in another area.
This equipment is further separated into cooking equipment (food preparation employing heat)
and any other equipment, primarily refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers. See Table A.

Table A. Home Fires Involving Kitchen Equipment, Including Cooking Equipment
Annual Average of 2002-2005 Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments
(Including Fires Reported as Confined Fires)

Civilian Civilian Direct Property Damage
Type or Group of Equipment Fires Deaths Injuries (in Millions)

Cooking equipment 161,800 (42,700) 442 (442) 4,720 (3,260) $763 ($736)
Range 107,200 (32,300) 381 (381) 3,910 (2,760) $530 ($510)
Oven or rotisserie 31,500 (3,400) 4 (4) 270 (120) $32 ($27)
Portable cooking or warming 9,000 (2,900) 38 (38) 230 (160) $78 ($77)
device
Microwave oven 8,100 (1,300) 0 (0) 110 (60) $17 ($17)
Grill, hibachi, or barbecue 3,500 (1,600) 14 (14) 90 (80) $83 ($83)
Deep fryer 1,400 (600) 5 (5) 70 (40) $17 ($17)
Other equipment 1,000 (500) 0 (0) 40 (30) $5 ($5)

Confined to cooking vessel but 4,100 0 120 $2
coded as equipment other
than cooking equipment

Kitchen equipment other than 3,300 15 110 $72
cooking equipment
Refrigerator, freezer, or ice 1,900 12 70 $48

maker
Dishwasher 1,300 4 30 $22
Other equipment 100 0 10 $1

Total 169,300 (47,500) 457 (457) 4,950 (3,430) $843 ($808)


Note: Numbers in parentheses exclude confined fires. Confined fires are fires reported as confined to chimney, flue, fuel burner,
or boiler and involving heating equipment; they are analyzed separately. These are national estimates of fires reported to U.S.
municipal fire departments and so exclude fires reported only to Federal or state agencies or industrial fire brigades. National
estimates are projections. Casualty and loss projections can be heavily influenced by the inclusion or exclusion of one unusually
serious fire. Fires are rounded to the nearest hundred, civilian deaths and civilian injuries are expressed to the nearest ten and
property damage is rounded to the nearest million dollars. Figures reflect a proportional share of home fires with equipment
involved in ignition unknown or reported as cooking or kitchen equipment of undetermined type. Fires reported as “no
equipment” but lacking a confirming specific heat source (codes 40-99) are also treated as unknown equipment and allocated.
Damages have not been adjusted for inflation.

Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and from NFPA survey.


Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
4
Beginning in 1999, the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) introduced six
confined-fire coding options – confined to cooking vessel, chimney, boiler, incinerator, trash
compactor, or trash container. There is less mandatory reporting associated with fires reported
as confined fires, but there is enough voluntary reporting to permit analysis of patterns for these
fires, including analysis of equipment involved in ignition. In NFPA’s home cooking fire report,
fires reported as confined to a cooking vessel and as involving cooking equipment are
statistically allocated among the different types of cooking equipment. In NFPA’s report on
fires involving kitchen equipment other than cooking equipment, there is no allocation of fires

reported as confined to a cooking vessel, because there are few such fires also coded as
involving kitchen equipment other than cooking equipment. However, there are a large number
of home fires reported as confined to a cooking vessel and involving some equipment other than
cooking equipment.

Cooking is the leading cause of home structure fires and associated civilian injuries. In 2002-
2005, cooking equipment accounted for 42.7% of home structure fires, 15.4% of associated
civilian deaths, 35.1% of associated civilian injuries, and 12.8% of associated direct property
damage. Kitchen equipment other than cooking equipment accounted for 0.9% of fires, 0.5% of
deaths, 0.8% of injuries, and 1.2% of damage. Fires confined to a cooking vessel but coded as
involving equipment other than cooking equipment accounted for 1.1% of fires, 0.0% of deaths,
0.9% of injuries, and 0.0% of damage. All kitchen equipment combined accounted for 44.7% of
home structure fires, 15.9% of associated civilian deaths, 36.8% of associated civilian injuries
and 14.1% of associated direct property damage.





Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
5
All Cooking Equipment

In 2005, an estimated 146,400 reported U.S. home structure fires involving cooking
equipment resulted in 480 deaths, 4,690 civilian injuries, and $876 million in direct
property damage.
The numbers of home cooking fires in 2002-2005 were the highest totals estimated since 1981.
Except for the 1990s, the number of estimated deaths in home structure cooking equipment fires
has fallen in the range of 450 to 530 in most years covered in Table 1, and there has been no
clear trend. Associated civilian injuries have shown no clear trend since 2002, when NFIRS

Version 5.0 was well established, and the total is below the level in 1998, which was at the end
of a decade-long downward trend. Associated direct property damage adjusted for inflation was
the highest since 1981 except for the 1991 total, which is distorted by estimation problems
unique to that year.

The recent increases in home cooking fires coincides with the introduction of confined cooking
fire as a coding option. Therefore, it is not clear whether the increase reflects a real increase in
fires or a shift in how incidents are coded. The increase in inflation-adjusted property damage is
not so easily explained by the change in coding options.

Because the measures of loss show different trends, it is not clear that any simple statement
about the trend of the home cooking fire problem is supported by the evidence. Cooking remains
the leading cause of home structure fires and associated civilian injuries.

Figure 1. Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Year
Structure Fires Reported to U.S. Fire Departments
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
1
980
1981
1
98
2
1
983

1
9
84
1
98
5
1
986
1
9
87
1
988
1989
1
9
90
1
991
1992
1
99
3
1
994
1
9
95
1
99

6
1
997
1
9
98
1
999
2000
2
0
01
2
002
2003
2
00
4
2
005
Ye ar
Fires
148,300
146,400

Source: Data from NFIRS and NFPA Survey. Note: See Notes on Table 1.

Cooking equipment accounted for 40% of total home structure fires in 2005, 16% of associated
civilian deaths, 36% of associated civilian injuries, and 13% of associated direct property
damage.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
6

Some other NFPA reports show different totals for home cooking fires and losses than are shown
in this report. The principal reason is that this report excludes fires reported as confined to a
cooking vessel if they are not also reported to involve cooking equipment. The largest share of
these excluded fires involved heating stoves, which accounted for an estimated 400 confined
cooking fires in 2005, or about 10% the number of confined cooking fires not involving cooking
equipment. A fire can be coded as a confined cooking fire involving a heating stove for several
reasons. Some heating stoves are designed and marketed for dual use as cooking equipment, but
this kind of equipment appears to be in very limited use. Also, some heating stoves not designed
for dual use nevertheless may be used for cooking, which may be an unsafe practice. Finally,
some cooking stove fires may be coded as heating stove fires because “heating stove” is the only
coding option that uses the word “stove” in its name. “Cooking stoves” are labeled as ranges,
and the fact that this includes cooking stoves appears only later in the language that fully
describes what is included in this entry.

It also should be noted that estimates may be different if dwellings and apartments are analyzed
separately, as is done in NFPA’s report giving an overview of home structure fires.

Ranges, with or without ovens, account for two-thirds (68%) of total reported confined or
non-confined home structure fires involving cooking equipment and even larger shares of
associated civilian deaths (85%) and civilian injuries (82%).
Ranges also account for the largest number and share of confined cooking fires – 69,600 (98,600
minus 28,900) or 64% of the total of 108,800 (146,400 minus 37,600) home structure fires that
are reported as confined cooking fires involving cooking equipment. (See Table B.)


Table B. Home Structure Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, by Type of Device, 2005

Civilian Civilian Direct Property
Device Fires Deaths Injuries Damage (in Millions)

Range, with or without oven 98,600 (28,900) 410 (410) 3,850 (2,890) $556 ($540)
Oven, including rotisserie 27,800 (3,100) 10 (10) 360 (110) $52 ($39)
Portable cooking or warming 7,400 (2,100) 40 (40) 260 (170) $88 ($88)
device
Microwave oven 7,400 (1,400) 0 (0) 90 (40) $18 ($18)
Grill, hibachi, or barbecue 3,400 (1,300) 10 (10) 80 (60) $137 ($137)
Deep fryer 1,000 (300) 0 (0) 50 (20) $17 ($17)
Grease hood or duct exhaust 700 (400) 0 (0) 10 (10) $8 ($8)
Steam table or warming device 100 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) $0 ($0)

All cooking equipment 146,400 (37,600) 480 (480) 4,690 (3,300) $876 ($845)


Note: Statistics in parentheses exclude confined fires. See Notes on Table 1 for additional details on data and methods.

Source: Data from NFIRS Version 5.0 and NFPA survey.


Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
7
Portable cooking or warming devices had the third largest share of home cooking fires, after
ranges and ovens, but the second largest share of associated civilian deaths.

Grills had only the fifth largest share of home cooking fires but had the second largest share of
associated direct property damage. As the only type of home cooking equipment with extensive
outdoor use, the grill share of fires would be higher if one included their 2005 home outdoor fire

totals of 4,900 fires, no civilian deaths, 30 civilian injuries, and $0 million in direct property
damage (to the nearest million dollars).

Steam table or warming device is the only specific device that appears to fit within the old
NFIRS Version 4.0 category of fixed cooking or warming device, which is why it is listed
separately. Its estimated fires and losses are very small.

Cooking fires accounted for 12,344,000 unreported home fires per year, or 55.3% of all
unreported fires in the last study of unreported fires, in 1984.*
That represents an average of more than one kitchen cooking fire for every eight occupied
housing units per year, a high rate of potentially hazardous situations. (Other kitchen fires added
another 4,710,000 fires, or 21.1% of the total, leaving only 23.6% of all unreported fires
occurring outside the kitchen.) This total of 12,344,000 unreported home cooking fires is 88
times the estimated number of reported home cooking fires in 2005 or 99 times the reported total
in 1984, the year of the unreported fire study.

The overwhelming majority of these unreported kitchen cooking fires involved no dollar damage
at all, as they stopped with the cooking materials that were first ignited, and only 5.2% of these
fires caused someone an injury or illness such as headache or dizziness. Nevertheless, these
small percentages translate into 642,000 cases of injury or illness per year, or 140 times the
number of injuries in home cooking fires that were reported in 2005. The ratio of unreported
1984 home cooking fire injuries to 1984 reported home cooking fire injuries was 131. The
estimated total direct property damage for unreported home cooking fires probably adds less
than 50% to the total for home cooking fires reported to U.S. fire departments.) This
underscores the fact that injuries are the principal reason for concern with home cooking fires.

In 2006, cooking equipment accounted for 67,240 estimated injuries reported to U.S.
hospital emergency rooms.**
See Table C for a breakdown by device (type of equipment) and for thermal and scald burns.

Compared to estimated 2005 home fire civilian injuries (in Table B), the microwave oven share
is higher (13% vs. 2%), and the grill share is much higher (24% vs. 2%). A large share of
injuries for any device do not involve either thermal burns (e.g., contact burns) or scald burns.
Abrasions, contusions, and lacerations are other common types of injuries occurring when the
victim either falls against the equipment or has the equipment fall on them. Scald burns are a
very small share of these injuries for ranges and grills but are the leading type of injury for


*Audits & Surveys, Inc., 1984 National Sample Survey of Unreported Residential Fires: Final Technical Report, Prepared for U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission, Contract No. C-83-1239, Princeton, NJ: Audits & Surveys, Inc., June 13, 1985.

**All statistics are based on National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data obtained from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) website, www.cpsc.gov
, accessed on October 27, 2007.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
8
cooking equipment that is capable of very high temperatures (e.g., microwave oven) or that is
used to heat liquids as beverages (e.g., coffee maker or tea pot) or as a sauce or cooking medium
(e.g., deep fryer, slow cooker, pressure cooker).

Table C. Estimated Hospital Emergency Room Injuries Involving Cooking Equipment
by Type of Equipment, 2006


Thermal burn Scald Scald burn
Estimated Thermal burn percentage of burn percentage of
Type of Equipment injuries injuries total injuries injuries total injuries

Range or oven 35,800 (53%) 18,650 52% 2,040 6%

Grill 15,990 (24%) 8,610 54% 320 2%
Microwave oven 8,560 (13%) 1,080 13% 3,480 41%
Portable cooking or warming 5,620 (8%) 1,320 23% 1,950 35%
device
Deep fryer 1,120 (2%) 200 18% 680 61%
Rotisserie 150 (0%) 0 0% 0 0%

All cooking equipment* 67,240 (100%) 29,850 44% 8,460 13%

*There appears to be no equipment category corresponding to range hood or duct fan.

Source: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

As further context, there were a total of 63,150 scald burn injuries reported to hospital
emergency rooms in 2006. Three-fourths of these involved hot water. Many of these hot-water
scald burns involved water that had been heated for cooking, while most (more than four-fifths)
of the scald burn injuries that did not cite hot water cited cooking equipment or other home
products used in food preparation or presentation.

The leading factors contributing to ignition for 2002-2005 non-confined home structure
fires involving cooking equipment were equipment unattended (38%), heat source too close
to combustibles (12%), unintentionally turned on or not turned off (10%), and abandoned
or discarded material or product (8%).
These factors account for a combined total of 68% of fires, but because multiple factors can be
entered for the same fire (and the total of factor entries was 8% higher than the total number of
fires), it is possible that not all of these factor entries represent different fires, but it is still clear
that these factors account for at least 60% of the fires. (See Table 2.)

Three of these four factors are similar in that they all involve a failure of oversight. Equipment
unattended implies a lack of oversight of the equipment, unintentionally turned on or not turned

off implies a lack of oversight of the operating status of the equipment, and abandoned or
discarded material in this context appears to imply a lack of oversight of either the equipment or
more likely the material in the equipment to be cooked (or spilled near the equipment during
food preparation).

The share of non-confined home structure fires involving cooking equipment that cite equipment
unattended as a factor contributing to ignition (38% in 2002-2005) is much lower than the share
of all home cooking fires cited with this factor before the introduction of NFIRS Version 5.0. A

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
9
couple of possible explanations have been identified, but at this stage, they remain speculative.
One possible explanation is that some unattended-equipment fires are being coded instead as
unattended-person fires under human factor contributing to equipment. Another possible
explanation is that unattended equipment may be a much more dominant factor for fires that
remain confined to the cooking vessel than for the non-confined fires that are the subjects of the
analysis in this report. Other factors – such as heat source too close to combustibles – may be
more likely to suggest an ignition that begins outside the containment of the cooking vessel and
so might be more likely to result in a non-confined fire.

Frying appears to be the cooking method with the highest risk of fire.
The following bullet points on cooking methods are taken from Marty Ahrens et al., Behavioral
Mitigation of Cooking Fires Through Strategies Based on Statistical Analysis, EME-2005-CA-
0343, project report to U.S. Fire Administration, NFPA, 2007. The CPSC study referenced in
several bullets below conducted investigations of 289 range fires, including 218 fires that begin
with ignition of food or other cooking materials. The study statistics cited here are based on
these 218 cooking material range fires.
• Frying. Frying accounted for 63% of the CPSC range fire study incidents.* In those
incidents, fire began in the first 15 minutes for 83% of the fires, while 12% began at least
30 minutes after cooking began. Frying inherently involves a combustible medium in

addition to the food, namely the cooking oil, and two-thirds of the CPSC range fire frying
incidents began with ignition of the cooking oil. A frying pan provides no containment
for fire if one begins. For all these reasons, there can be no exceptions to attendance at
frying by the cook. Because frying is relatively quick, there should be no great hardship
in attendance.

Deep fryers involve larger quantities of hot cooking oil than that involved in regular
frying, and turkey fryers involve extremely large quantities of hot cooking oil. Because
the frying process involves inserting the food into the heated medium, then later
removing it and transferring it to a drying location, deep frying with these larger
quantities of hot oil involve numerous opportunities for thermal burns and scalds, as well
as fire ignitions.

Woks and other devices designed for stir-fry cooking also need to be considered within
the frying cooking method and need to be closely attended.

• Broiling and Grilling
. Broiling and grilling were part of the “other” category that
accounted for 9% of the CPSC range fire study incidents.* (Grilling is broiling on a
gridiron.) In the “other” incidents, fire began in the first 15 minutes for 76% of the fires,
while 24% began at least 30 minutes after cooking began. Broiling and grilling do not
inherently involve a combustible medium in addition to the food. However, both types of
cooking often involve a need for regular cook intervention, such as turning the food, in
order to avoid overheating. Broiling is sometimes done in an oven, which provides some
containment for fire if one begins. However, when broiling in an electric oven, the oven
door is left ajar, limiting the containment. In addition, other broiling and


*Linda Smith, Ron Monticone, and Brenda Gillum, Range Fires, Characteristics Reported in National Fire Data and a CPSC
Special Study, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 1999, accessed at www.cpsc.gov

.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
10
all grilling are done on exposed cooking surfaces. For all these reasons, broiling and
grilling can be regarded as only slightly less risky than frying and there should be no
exceptions to attendance.

Barbecue grills are designed for use outside, and that location may reduce the risk, if fire
occurs, of spread from grill to other valuable combustibles. In addition, fatal barbecue
grill fires are rare. However, when fatal grill fires do occur, they nearly always involve
ignition of a part of a structure. Indoor use of charcoal grills, specifically, also introduces
a significant risk of death due to carbon monoxide build-up. This combination accounts
for more than 10 deaths a year.

• Baking and Roasting. Baking accounted for 10% of the CPSC range fire study
incidents.* (Baking and roasting are cooking with dry heat. This presumably refers to
convective heat, as contrasted with the radiant heat used in broiling and grilling.) Fire
began in the first 15 minutes for 88% of the fires, while 12% ignited at least 30 minutes
after cooking began. Baking and roasting do not inherently involve a combustible
medium in addition to the food. Baking does not normally involve a need for regular
cook intervention, but some roasting does require regular cook intervention, such as
basting, in order to avoid overheating. Baking and roasting are typically done in an oven,
which provides containment for fire if one begins. Primarily for this last reason, baking
and roasting can be regarded as less risky than broiling and grilling. Brief absences
during cooking, which tends to take longer than frying, broiling or grilling, can be
justified, provided a timer is used to remind the cook to check on the cooking.

Toaster ovens can be regarded as small baking devices, although they can be used for
broiling as well. Hot plates and food warmers involve conducted heat rather than

convective heat. Together with toasters and toaster ovens, they account for most of the
fires and related deaths associated with portable cooking or warming devices. Hot plates
and toasters should not be left unattended during their typically very short cooking
periods.

• Boiling
. Boiling accounted for 18% of the CPSC range fire study incidents.* Fire began
during the first 15 minutes in 6% of the fires, while 63% ignited at least 30 minutes after
cooking began. Boiling does not inherently involve a combustible medium in addition to
the food. In fact, the normal medium of water will typically prevent fire until or unless it
boils away. Boiling does not normally involve a need for regular cook intervention.
Boiling may be done in either an enclosed container (e.g., kettle, coffee maker) or an
open container (e.g., pan). However, if the water boils away, the container may fail and
deform, removing the containment. Primarily because few fires occur early in the boiling
process, boiling can be treated as comparable to or less risky than baking and roasting.
Brief absences during cooking can be justified, provided a timer is used to remind the
cook to check on the cooking. Unlike other types of cooking, the periodic inspection can
readily identify an impending hazard (i.e., the imminent loss of the water) with ample
time to correct the problem.

*Linda Smith, Ron Monticone, and Brenda Gillum, Range Fires, Characteristics Reported in National Fire Data and a CPSC
Special Study, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 1999, accessed at www.cpsc.gov
.

Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment, 2/08 NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA
11
Simmering is cooking done at or just below the boiling point. If the simmering
temperature is well below the boiling point, simmering is like slow cooking (see below)
or even food warming. “Stewing” is slow boiling. “Steaming” is cooking by exposure to
steam, i.e., water in the form of heated vapor. Each of these presents a variation on

boiling.

• Slow cooking. Slow cooking was not identified in the CPSC range study and represents
a small share of the estimated home fires involving all types of portable cooking or
warming equipment. Heat levels are typically low enough that other provisions for
safety, including close attendance, are not necessary. If the cookware is placed where an
unlikely minor overflow will not contact other combustibles, there will be added safety.
If a crock pot or similar device is used, any ignition of food will also be contained,
provided nothing has interfered with the equipment itself.

The leading human factor contributing to ignition for 2002-2005 non-confined home
cooking fires was unattended or unsupervised person (27% of fires), but it is possible that
some or most of these are actually cases of unattended cooking equipment.
Table 3 shows the breakdown. “Unattended or unsupervised person” is normally used for a fire
started by a person with unreliable judgment, such as a young child, whose access to a heat
source leads to the fire. None of the other cause-related data elements show patterns clearly
consistent with the scenario, and special studies have confirmed that the person conducting the
cooking when fire occurs is rarely a young child or an older adult for whom supervision of the
person, as opposed to the equipment, would be expected to be an issue. The leading human
factor contributing to ignition for fire deaths was asleep (33% of fire deaths).

The majority (54%) of 2002-2005 non-confined home structure fires involving cooking
equipment began with ignition of cooking materials.
Table 4 shows that other types of items first ignited have significant shares of associated losses.
Clothing ignitions account for only 1% of the fires but for 12% of the associated civilian deaths,
a total of 55 deaths per year. Appliance housing or casing accounted for 7% of fires, and the
similar household utensil accounted for another 5% of fires. Flammable or combustible gas or
liquid accounted for 5% of the fires. Cabinetry also accounted for 5% of fires but for 10% of
damage.

Nearly all (93%) of 2002-2005 non-confined home structure fires involving cooking
equipment began in the kitchen.
The leading other areas of origin – exterior balcony or unenclosed porch; courtyard, terrace or
patio; garage; and exterior wall surface – all primarily reflected locations of grill fires, which
accounted for the majority of reported home cooking structure fires in all these areas except
garages. (See Table 5.)

Electricity is favored over gas by 3-to-2 as the primary cooking equipment power source.
Table 6 shows the trend since 1950, when gas was favored by 4-to-1. Liquid and solid-fueled
equipment are used by a negligible share of the population.