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Do you know what to do if a fire breaks out at home? How can you best prevent a home fire? Find out more by taking this quiz on fire prevention.
Mattresses and bedding are the most common materials to burn first in a fire started by a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Those materials are followed by trash and upholstered furniture, according to the NFPA. If you smoke at home, take these steps to prevent fires:
That's more than in any other place in the home, according to the NFPA. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and of home fire injuries. The main cause of cooking fires is leaving cooking unattended. To help prevent cooking fires, follow these tips from the NFPA:
If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and slide a lid onto the pan to smother the flames. Turn off the burner, and leave the pan alone until it is completely cool. Never use water on a grease fire, because that can spray burning grease elsewhere in the kitchen.
The NFPA says that Christmas Day is the peak day for candle fires. More than half of candle fires occur when a candle is left burning unattended near a combustible material. To help prevent fires caused by candles, follow these tips from the NFPA:
If you use candles during a power outage, don't carry a lighted candle. Never use a lighted candle to check on pilot lights or when adding fuel to a heater or lantern.