Mankato Fire Marshal reports cooking fires were most common in 2024 and warns against home tech potential risks

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - City of Mankato Fire Marshal Sean Hayes says in 2024, there were five fires from improperly discarded smoking material and 13 from cooking.

Hayes wants everyone to understand all fires are preventable.

He said, “We would like to see three feet of clean space, right? Three feet of area around the heat source, in this case the burner, is free from materials that can burn. One of the common things that we sometimes have seen is maybe somebody is cooking they go to wash their hands, and they take their rag and throw it and go somewhere else. No where close.”

Hayes continued, “To prevent that cooking fire, first off, let’s be prepared. Second, let’s be attentive.”

If a fire is coming out of a pan, Hayes says to calmly cover it and turn off the burner.

He also says cooking fires are one issue but the technology in your home could also pose a risk.

“Our cellphones, our laptops, our reading devices - they’re all over the place. Lithium-Ion batteries are inherently safe. However, they can pose risks if we’re not using them correctly,” Hayes explained.

The National Fire Protection Association warns technology with lithium-ion batteries can be dangerous, but Hayes wants you to remember three words, “Buy, Charge and Recycle. The first thing we want to do is make sure we only buy things that are UL listed.”

You can see on your batteries or devices a small UL logo that shows it’s been tested and proven to be safe.

“Sometimes our equipment can be expensive and there’s always a way to find an after-market product,” Hayes said. “But sometimes those aren’t tested. And that in itself leads to it might not be safe to be used with one another.”

Additionally, Hayes says to not charge your devices in the bed or couch because those can catch fire. He said it’s best to charge it on a hard fire-resistant surface instead.

Finally, to recycle your lithium-ion batteries, Hayes recommends Call 2 Recycle to find a safe way to dispose of your old tech.

Hayes also wants to remind those that use candles to consider electric ones or set reminders or alarms to extinguish them.

Click here to download the KEYC News Now app or our KEYC First Alert weather app.