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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Fire Department
602 West Second Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802
218-730-4400 •www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact Kelli Latuska,
Public Information Officer at 218-730-5309
DATE: 6/4/2026
SUBJECT: Duluth Fire Department provides cautionary kitchen fire prevention information following recent incident responses
BY: DFD Assistant Fire Chief Dan Lattner, Public Information Officer Kelli Latuska

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Duluth Fire Department provides cautionary kitchen fire prevention information following recent incident responses

 

 

 

[DULUTH, MN] The Duluth Fire Department has responded to several fires in recent months due to combustible materials being placed on or stored on stovetops and the stove then being inadvertently turned on. Duluth Fire would like to remind residents about the hazards of storing anything on top of your stove or in your oven, broilers, or warming drawers.

The most common cause of the stove being accidentally turned on is pets.  Both cats and dogs are curious animals and when items, especially food items, are on top of the stove they often jump up to investigate when their people are not around.  Unfortunately, they sometimes bump the knob on the stove and turn on one of the burners, leading to a fire. 

These fires can quickly spread to the surrounding cabinets and often lead to significant damage to your home and belongings.  Even other cooking appliances, such as air fryers, electric frying pans, and crockpots are not safe to be left on a cooktop.  Most small appliances today are made with plastic housings that will ignite if the cooktop is turned on.

Storing items in the oven and then forgetting to remove them before using the oven is another fire hazard the Duluth Fire Department encounters.  The Duluth Fire Department recommends keeping combustible items at least 12 inches away from the cooktop and never using your oven for storage of any kind.  Residents should be reminded that the kitchen is one of the most common places in the home to have a fire, and it is recommended that every kitchen have a proper fire extinguisher readily available for use.

Other tips that can help prevent a kitchen fire:

  • Stay in the kitchen when cooking.
  • If you leave the room, turn off the stove and move the pan from the burner.
  • If a fire starts, slide a tight-fitting lid on the pan and turn off the heat.
  • Avoid loose-fitting clothing that can easily catch fire.
  • Don't let distractions like your phone or something in the other room take your attention away from what you're cooking.

Fire preparedness and fire safety starts at home, and the best way to stay safe from fire is to prevent fires from occurring in the first place. Your family can stay safe from fires by following these tips. For more fire safety information, please visit the MN State Fire Marshal’s fire safety tips site at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/sfm/fire-safety/fire-safety-tips.

 

 

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