The #1 Cause Of Massachusetts House Fires May Surprise You

I was grilling some cheeseburgers and hot dogs over the Fourth of July with friends and family when I remembered a valuable lesson I learned some years ago.

My old driveway did not come flush to the entrance of the garage door, so there was a big dip making it super cumbersome to get it out of the garage, so grilling in the garage became the normal which can be dangerous!

One time I left the grill on by accident when my wife had called me in the house for a second and the whole garage was filled with smoke. Lesson learned.

Did You Know What The Number One Cause Of House Fires In Massachusetts Is?

I thought it was careless smoking, but it is NOT! In actuality, it's cooking fires.

Here are some tips on how to deal with a cooking fire courtesy of mass.gov

• Cover a pan or grease fire with a lid and turn off the heat. Baking soda also works.
• Don't move a burning pan.
• Don't use water or a fire extinguisher on a grease fire.
• Stand by your pan. Don't leave food, grease or oils cooking on the stove top unattended.
• Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when cooking.
• Keep pot handles turned inward to prevent spills.
• Create a three-foot child-free zone around the stove. Keep pets away also.
• Keep combustible items like pot holders, towels, and paper or plastic bags away from burners.
• Don’t put metal in a microwave. Utensils, aluminum foil or twist-tie wraps can cause a fire.
• Use caution with microwaved food and liquid. They can become very hot.
• Unplug appliances like toasters and coffee makers when not in use.
• Don’t use the oven for storage.

I hope you found this post informative.