Mutual 11 blaze reaffirms importance of fire safety

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) extinguished a fire at Mutual 11 on the night of March 11. Multiple fire engines, 16 fire department personnel and several Seal Beach police officers responded to the scene at approximately 8:28 p.m. The building was evacuated as a precaution. There were no injuries, according to a GRF Security report.

Two units in Building 274 were damaged; one by fire and water, and the other by water.

The cause of the fire is unknown, according to GRF Security. The OCFA is conducting an investigation into the fire’s source. It could take OCFA several weeks to determine the cause and release its findings.

History of fires in Leisure World

Accidental fires pose a threat to the safety of residents and the community at large. In Leisure World, fires are caused by a variety of sources and fire prevention educational outreaches are periodically held.

Between 2010 and 2015, Leisure World averaged more than one significant fire a year. In that period, at least seven fires were damaging enough to displace shareholders, most of them attributed to unattended stovetop cooking, improper storage of combustibles or smoking, according to news reports.

Between 2004-2009, there were 31 accidental fires in Leisure World, which resulted in two deaths, two injuries and $1.6 million in property damage, according to news reports at the time. Notable among those fires was one caused by smoking in Mutual 8. The devastating fire broke out Feb. 17, 2009; the building was a total loss.

Since 2015, the rate of fires has sharply declined as more Mutuals have installed safety features, such as SmartBurners, a cooking system that electronically controls energy to burners.

In 2015, the OCFA also offered residential fire safety devices—a smoke alarm for the hearing impaired and a stovetop fire suppressor—free of charge to Leisure World residents. A fire safety grant funded the project.

Avoiding kitchen fires

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, starting half of all fires, according to State Farm. Heating is the second highest cause.

Here are a few ways to avoid fires in the kitchen:

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen, even for a second, turn off the stove.

• Check food often while cooking. Use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on. Make sure it’s loud enough for you to hear.

• Keep anything that can catch fire, including oven mitts, paper towels, paper or plastic bags, curtains or loose clothing away from the stove and oven.

• Keep stovetop, burners and ovens clean and free of grease.

• Turn pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove.

• Always check the oven to make sure it’s empty before turning it on. Only use the oven for cooking, never use it as storage.

• Keep a lid or fire extinguisher nearby when cooking.

• Avoid cooking when tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription drugs.

In the case of a fire, people should:

• Never pour water on a grease fire. Cover the pan with a lid and turn off the stove.

• If there’s a fire in the oven or microwave, keep the door closed and turn off the appliance.

• Leave your home immediately if a cooking fire is large or spreading quickly.

• Close the door behind you to slow the spread of fire and call 911 from outside the home.

• If you choose to use a fire extinguisher, make sure the fire is not spreading, smoke and fire have not filled the room, and that you have a clear escape path.

For more information, visit ocfa.org.

Multiple Orange County Fire Authority engines and Seal Beach police of-ficers responded to the scene.Rick Hackenberg