Taipei City Fire Department

According to observations from the Central Meteorological Administration, the temperature will drop slightly due to the influence of the northeast monsoon today and tomorrow (6th and 7th). The lowest temperature on the ground will drop to about 12℃ tomorrow and Friday morning.In cold weather, Taiwanese people customarily have tonic foods such as shochu chicken, ginger duck, mutton stew, herbal braised pork ribs, etc. As these simmered dishes require slow cooking over a flame, the process takes time. People often take advantage of this time to do household chores, sleep, or even go out, forgetting that the kitchen is in the process of cooking. When the pot has simmered dry, there is a risk of unintentional fires. 

The fire department reminds that when using a stove, one should adhere to the principle of “turn off the fire when leaving.” If leaving the kitchen for any reason, the stove should be turned off beforehand. Additionally, it is important to avoid excessive liquid levels inside cookware, as this can cause boiling liquid to overflow, extinguishing the flame and potentially leading to a gas leak and fire. Furthermore, attention should be paid when simmering food for an extended period, as forgetting about the stove can result in the pot simmering dry, causing food to burn and igniting a fire.

To prevent kitchen fires, the fire department recommends installing "residential fire alarms". The alarm will emit a loud sound to alert the resident when heavy smoke or high temperature is detected. Flammable items should not be placed near gas stoves when cooking. Choose safe stoves equipped with flame extinguishing safety devices and temperature sensing functions. These stoves automatically cut off the gas when the fire is extinguished or the pot reaches a certain temperature, effectively preventing fires caused by careless cooking.