Fire Chief warns residents not to leave self-cleaning ovens unattended

Clarington, Ontario – Clarington Emergency and Fire Services Chief Gord Weir is asking residents to be careful when using the self-cleaning feature on an oven as it can become a fire hazard.

“Never leave your oven unattended when you set the self-cleaning option. The cleaning process usually takes three to four hours, and the oven heats up to a very high temperature, which can become a potential fire hazard if you are not careful,” said Fire Chief Gord Weir.

On Saturday, crews responded to a house fire in Orono. Eight trucks and 32 firefighters were on the scene. The call came in at 1:30 p.m. While no one was injured, the home sustained significant damage to the kitchen and the back exterior.

“We’ve determined that the cause of the fire was a gas oven on self-clean mode,” said Chief Weir.

Chief Weir has some tips for homeowners using the self-cleaning function of their ovens:

• Empty the contents of the oven before you start the self-clean cycle.
• Once the oven is empty, use the automatic system to lock the oven door.
• Before you press the button, you must be home for the three to four hours of the self-clean cycle. Don’t leave it unattended.
• To avoid burns, wait for the oven to cool before you wipe it down.

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Media inquiries:
Municipality of Clarington
Basia Radomski
Communications Manager
905-623-3379 ext. 2214 or bradomski@clarington.net