The main cause is unattended cooking. The main combustibles are
oil, fat and grease. The cook may be out of the room only a
minute or two, but that's often enough for spitting grease to
ignite, spread flames to a pan and create a small inferno that
quickly envelopes the stovetop and nearby cabinets. But a study
by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and the
National Association of State Fire Marshals found that about
half the people who fight a kitchen fire make potentially fatal
errors. They try to extinguish a grease fire with water, which
only spreads it. They try to douse a stovetop blaze with flour,
which only adds fuel to the flames. The USFA offers a practical
slogan that can help you make the right decision about fighting
a stovetop blaze: When in doubt, just get out. Everyone can
recognize that moment. You use a fire extinguisher. It seems to
be putting out the blaze. But the pressure is falling and the
flames are still there. Suddenly, you have the sense that you're
losing control of the