We often cook so routinely that we easily become unattentive to it. However, even a small mistake, such as overheating food, improper use of kitchen appliances, uncleaned ovens, or forgetting to turn off the stove, can lead to serious hazards. Every year, the United States experiences thousands of residential fire cases caused by carelessness during cooking.
A study by claimguide.org highlights that residential cooking fires cause 153 deaths, 3,225 injuries, and nearly $477 million in damage annually. The organization surveyed a group and published a list of states with the most careless cooks responsible for the highest number of kitchen fire incidents.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts topped the list with the state’s highest number of cooking fire incidents. The state witnessed an average of 13,137 residential fire incidents yearly, equating to 188.2 cooking fires per 100,000 residents due to careless cooking. According to the survey, 71.4 percent of all residential fire incidents were caused by cooking. These alarming statistics highlight the importance of fire safety in Massachusetts.
New York
New York ranks second on the list, with 156.0 cooking fires per 100,000 residents. Careless cooking accounts for 70.8 percent of residential fires, with an average of 30,703 residential cooking fires reported annually. This average is the highest in the state compared to others nationwide.
Delaware
Delaware witnessed 113.0 cooking fires per 100,000 residents, averaging 1,151 residential cooking fires every year. Of all residential fire incidents, 55.4 percent are caused by cooking, primarily due to unattended cooking and overheating.
New Jersey
New Jersey, with its high population and frequent home cooking, also sees a significant number of careless cooking fire incidents. Around 66.1 percent of resident fire incidents occur yearly in the state, with an average of 8,827 fires yearly. This equates to 95.3 cooking fires per 100,000 residents.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., receives more rainfall, which contributes to indoor cooking habits and could be the reason behind the high number of fire cases in the state. It has witnessed over 1 fire incident daily, totaling an average of 549 yearly, accounting for 57.6 percent of residential fires. There are 81.7 cooking fires per 100,000 residents in the state.
Connecticut
Connecticut ranks sixth on the list, with an average of 2,756 cooking fires yearly. Of all the fire incidents, 52.4 percent start in the kitchen. Grease buildup and improper cooking practices are the main causes of these cooking fire incidents. The state experienced 76 cooking fires per 100,000 residents.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island has over 2 residential fire incidents every day, averaging 772 every year. This equates to 70.6 fire accidents per 100,000 residents, making it the seventh state with the most kitchen fires. Careless cooking is the leading cause, responsible for 62.1 percent of these home fire incidents.
Vermont
Vermont sees an average of 431 residential fires yearly, translating to 66.7 fire incidents per 100,000 residents. These numbers highlight the need for safety measures in the kitchen while cooking, which is responsible for 35.6 percent of home fires.
South Carolina
South Carolina witnessed an average of 3,163 residential fire incidents, accounting for 33.7 percent of home fires. With a population of over 5 million, the state has 59.9 fire incidents per 100,000 residents. The alarming number makes it the ninth state with most residential fire cases due to careless cooking.
West Virginia
West Virginia ranks tenth on the list, with 24.2 percent of residential fire incidents or an average of 1,055 fires annually due to cooking. With 59.5 cooking fires per 100,000 residents, West Virginia needs to initiate fire safety measures and raise awareness about necessary precautions while cooking.
Maine
With a small population of 1,355,924, Maine experiences 58.6 cooking fires per 100,000 residents or an average of 812 home fires every year. This raises concern as these incidents can lead to serious injuries and should be prevented with necessary measures. Almost 30 percent of cooking fires occur in the state, which could be avoided if people pay more attention while cooking.
Illinois
Illinois, with its high population in urban areas, is more prone to fire incidents. The state witnesses 7,227 residential fires annually, or 57.4 cooking fire incidents per 100,000 residents, making it the state with the fifth-highest number of average cooking fires. Unattended cooking accounts for 44 percent of these fire incidents.
Pennsylvania
The state’s cold weather could contribute to overheating and accidental flames, leading to home fire incidents. Pennsylvania sees 7,392 residential fires annually, or 45.6 percent, the fourth highest in the nation. There are 57 cooking fires per 100,000 residents occurred in the state.
Minnesota
With around an average of 3,211 residential fires yearly, Minnesota ranks fourteenth among states with the most kitchen fires and careless cooks. Every year, there are 56.2 cooking fires per 100,000 residents, accounting for 46.1 percent of all fire incidents due to unattended cooking.
Missouri
Missouri sees an average of 3,307 residential fire incidents yearly, with 37.6 percent caused by cooking. In most cases, careless cooking is the primary cause, with improper use of kitchen appliances and lack of supervision while preparing food. The state has 53.5 cooking fires per 100,000 residents.
North Carolina
The diverse culinary tradition of North Carolina combined with careless cooking leads to an average of 5,527 residential fire incidents annually, equating to 37.3 percent of home fires. Carelessness during cooking accounted for 51.7 cooking fires per 100,000 residents in the state.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire, with its relatively low population, sees an average of 615 residential fire incidents each year, with a rate of 44.1 cooking fires per 100,000 residents. Of the total fire incidents, 28.8 percent occur due to careless cooking alone.
Ohio
The state’s culinary habits in both urban and rural areas, with careless cooks and leaving food on the stove without supervision, result in 43.9 cooking fires per 100,000 residents. This equates to an average of 5,162 residential fires annually, accounting for 33.4 percent of all fire incidents.