MN Kitchen Fires Spike in 2013

ST. PAUL - Kitchen fires killed more people in 2013 than the previous seven years combined, according to numbers from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division's (SFMD) preliminary Fire in Minnesota report.

Six people died last year in fires caused by someone leaving food cooking unattended. Unattended cooking — which caused an average of less than one death each year since 2006 — joined careless smoking as the top cause of fire fatalities last year in Minnesota.

"Leaving the kitchen, even for just a moment, can be deadly," State Fire Marshal Bruce West said. "Following a few simple rules can keep us all safe and put an end to these preventable fire deaths."

2013 fire deaths by cause

• Careless smoking — 6
• Unattended cooking — 6
• Suicide — 4
• Arson — 3
• Car crash/malfunction — 3
• Combustibles too close — 2
• Other — 2
• Undetermined — 18

Unattended cooking fire deaths

• 2013 — 6
• 2012 — 1
• 2011 — 0
• 2010 — 1
• 2009 — 2
• 2008 — 0
• 2007 — 0
• 2006 — 1

There were 6,330 structure fires last year in Minnesota and 44 fire deaths.

The top three causes of structure fires were cooking (49 percent), heating (9 percent) and electrical disturbances (6 percent), according to the preliminary Fire in Minnesota report.

The final draft of the report will be released later this year.

Fire safety and prevention tips

• Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended.
• Keep a lid next to each pot or pan so you can smother a fire if one starts.
• Keep rags, pot holders, paper towels and curtains away from the stove.
• Roll up your sleeves and keep your apron snug.
• Clean cooking surfaces and your oven often; grease and heat are a deadly combination.
• Keep children out of the kitchen and away from the stove.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
• Have a safe-escape plan for every building you visit, even your own home.
• Consider protecting your home or business with fire sprinklers.