Garland fire officials are reminding residents of cooking and fire safety after a pet cat accidentally started a kitchen fire this week.
Crews responded to a house fire in central Garland on Wednesday. They were able to put out the fire and prevent further damage to the home and surrounding properties, said James Dugger, a public information officer with Garland Fire Department, in a statement.
During the investigation into the incident, fire investigators obtained a video that identified the cause of the fire, Dugger said. Combustible materials were left on the stovetop, and a cat jumped onto the stove and accidentally activated a burner, which ignited the materials and started the fire.
Garland fire officials are using this incident to remind residents about kitchen fire safety. Cooking-related fires are one of the leading causes of residential fires, and they said many of them are preventable.
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Cooking and kitchen fire safety tips
Here are some tips from the Garland Fire Department on kitchen fire safety:
Keep combustible items such as paper towels, dish towels, food packaging, and plastic containers away from stovetops and cooking surfaces.Always turn off cooking appliances when not in use.Never leave cooking food unattended.Maintain a clear, clutter-free area around all heat sources.Consider using stove knob covers or removing knobs when not in use to help prevent accidental activation, especially in homes with children or pets.
Fire officials further warn that even when a stovetop is not in use, residual heat or accidental activation can “quickly ignite nearby combustible items.”
There are safety products designed to help prevent accidental burner activations or fires, such as knob covers, appliance safety locks and motion- or touch-activated shutoff devices. Garland fire officials encourage residents to include these items in their overall home fire safety plan.
Additional information about the Wednesday house fire is not being released at this time. Officials said for more fire and life safety tips, visit the Garland Fire Department’s website.