On Saturday, Oct. 14, Township of Langley Fire Department lieutenant Mike Duthie was explaining how common kitchen fires are.
“We had a fire yesterday, actually,” Duthie said.
“There was a pot unattended on a stove. You’d be quite surprised on how many we get, probably one or two a week. Kitchen fires, pots unattended, people go out and forget they have something on the stove, neighbors call that there’s smoke next door and we go in.”
Langley firefighters provided a close up look at some fire trucks for some kids Saturday morning at the Home Depot along with some important safety tips pic.twitter.com/VbVfR4uNkB
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) October 14, 2023
It was the final day of Fire Prevention Week week, and Duthie, with other Township firefighters, was at the Langley Home Depot Kids Workshop with two fire trucks, presenting kids and parents with safety information.
On one fire truck, posters showed the best way to use a fire extinguisher, as firefighters handed out safety brochures and souvenirs.
This year, the theme was centred on cooking safety, a leading cause of house fires and house fire injuries.
“Always have it attended,” Duthie advised. “Never leave cooking unattended.”
“[Learn] how to be safe around the kitchen, about extinguishers and how to put fires out, if you have a fire on your stove,” Duthie added.
READ ALSO: Langley Township fire crews spread cooking safety message to kids, parents
Siblings Noah, 8, and Sophia, 4 from Brookswood were among the workshop participants who were given a close-up look at the trucks, getting a lift into the driver’s seat, while their parents picked up brochures with safety tips.
Noah was wide-eyed with wonder.
“He loves fire trucks,” mom Corina said.
Langley firefighters provided a close up look at some fire trucks for some kids Saturday morning at the Home Depot along with some important safety tips pic.twitter.com/aHQrh4nG7f
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) October 14, 2023
Fire Prevention Week is observed internationally each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871. It killed 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
For more information on cooking safety, people can visit nfpa.org.
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