"Fire Safety During Cooking"… Consecutive Large Fires, Holiday Fire Warning Issued

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] During the holiday season, the use of fire-related tools increases due to cooking, which raises the risk of fires. With more people expected to spend the holidays at home due to the impact of COVID-19, special caution regarding residential fires is required.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 31st, a total of 598 residential fires occurred during the Lunar New Year holidays over the five years from 2017 to 2021, resulting in 18 deaths and 49 injuries. On average, there were 40 fires per day, which is 33.3% (10 fires) more than the annual daily average of 30 fires.

Of the residential fires, 55.4% (331 cases) were caused by 'carelessness.' The most common causes were 'leaving fire unattended' (27.2%, 90 cases), 'cooking food' (26.0%, 86 cases), and 'cigarette butts' (17.8%, 59 cases), followed by 'electrical factors' at 20.1% (120 cases) and 'mechanical factors' at 8.5% (51 cases).

Residential fires mainly began to increase from 9 a.m., peaking between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., which coincides with the time for preparing holiday meals.

During the holidays, many dishes are cooked using oil, so it is important to cook at an appropriate temperature without leaving the stove unattended. If cooking oil overheats and catches fire, the first step is to cut off the gas and power supply. Spraying water on the fire can cause the oil vapor and steam to combine, and the water can cause the oil to spread, worsening the fire. Overheated oil splashing upon contact with water can cause burns, so water should not be used to extinguish the fire.

Also, using a powder fire extinguisher, which is commonly used for oil fires, may provide temporary effectiveness. However, since the high-temperature oil does not cool down and can easily reignite, it is advisable to have and use a kitchen fire extinguisher. If no extinguisher is available, covering the pot with a lid or a wet towel can be an emergency measure. Adding vegetables such as napa cabbage or lettuce can lower the temperature of the cooking oil, providing a cooling effect that may extinguish the fire. However, the moisture in the vegetables can cause the flames to flare up upon contact with the oil, posing a risk of burns.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.