This morning, something happened in my kitchen that I never imagined I’d experience — and it’s been replaying in my mind ever since. The day began like any other.

I was getting ready to make breakfast and turned on the air fryer, just like I’ve done countless times before.

It’s a staple in our home, practically part of the daily routine, so I didn’t think twice about it.

But only a few minutes later, I noticed a strange odor in the air. Not quite smoke — more like an acrid, greasy burning smell that immediately made me uneasy.

I walked over to the counter, and what I saw sent chills through me: flames inside the appliance. Real, visible fire.

It wasn’t just steam or overheating — the unit was actually burning. For a moment, I froze, but instinct kicked in.

I yanked the plug from the socket and grabbed a damp kitchen towel to smother the flames.

Thankfully, it worked, and the fire didn’t spread. But the thought of what might’ve happened if I had stepped out for even two minutes was terrifying. What if someone had been asleep? Or worse, what if no one was home?

Once my hands stopped shaking and my breathing calmed, I started investigating the cause. The appliance itself wasn’t faulty. No electrical failure, no short circuit.

The reason turned out to be disturbingly simple: built-up grease and crumbs.

There were layers of old oil and charred food bits collected near the heating element and at the bottom of the tray. The kind of residue I’d noticed before, but kept putting off cleaning.

You know how we always say, “I’ll wipe it later,” or “It can handle one more use”? Well, that “one more use” nearly turned into disaster.

It really made me stop and think. Technology can be smart, efficient, and modern — but at the end of the day, it still depends on human care and responsibility.

And it’s often the most obvious things we overlook: the routine maintenance, the small cleaning tasks, the momentary supervision.

Those tiny lapses — out of laziness, rush, or simply distraction — can lead to something truly dangerous. If we’re not present, if we’re not paying attention, it can already be too late.

What made it even more unsettling was the memory of using parchment paper in the air fryer just a few days earlier.

I had cut a small sheet myself, and it probably wasn’t shaped quite right.

That may have interfered with the airflow inside the unit, caused heat to build up in the lower section, and pushed temperatures past the ignition point.

Afterwards, I did some reading and found that parchment paper — especially if not properly secured or placed too close to the heating coil — can actually catch fire in air fryers.

Since that incident, I’ve completely reevaluated how I use my kitchen appliances. I now take extra care not only with what I cook, but with how I clean and store the equipment.

I make sure everything is spotless after each use, I stick to accessories that are specifically recommended by the manufacturer, and I never walk away while the device is running — even if it’s just for a minute.

I’ve also made it a rule to let the air fryer cool down entirely before tucking it away. In the past, I sometimes put it away while still warm, just to clear the counter — but now I know that’s not safe either.

This small incident — which, thankfully, didn’t end in tragedy — was a wake-up call.

A reminder not to take anything for granted. To stay mindful, attentive, and to never underestimate the warning signs that something isn’t right.

It might’ve just been a little leftover grease. But now I know — sometimes that’s all it takes for a fire to ignite.

And in some cases, the difference between a close call and a catastrophe comes down to one damp cloth and a moment of alertness.