Grease Fire Safety Tips

7/16/2018 (Permalink)

Grease fire in Austin Texas

The oil in your pan starts to smoke at your home in Austin, TX. Your smoky dinner can quickly go from disappointing to devastating if the oil turns into a grease fire. These types of fire are extremely hot and spread fast, so know how to snuff the small fire before it turns into a whole house blaze.

1. Do not put water on the flames. Water and oil do not mix. When you pour water on a grease fire, the water turns into steam and pushes the oil and fire out of the pan. This causes the fire to spread.

2. Cut the fire off at the source. First, turn off the source of heat on the stovetop. Then, cut off the source of oxygen to the fire by putting a lid on the burning pot. If you do not have a metal lid nearby, use a baking sheet or a pan. Leave the lid on for an extended period of time so the fire does not reignite.

3. Dump baking soda or salt on the blaze. If you have a significant amount of baking soda on hand, pour it on the fire. Salt also works because of the high melting point. However, do not pour sugar, flour or baking powder on the fire. Not only do these powders not work, but they can make the fire worse.

4. Douse the flames with a fire extinguisher. Extinguishers are made for different types of fires. Keep a Class B or a combination extinguisher, such as Class ABC in your kitchen for emergencies. Class B is specifically designed for flammable liquids, such as oil and grease.

5. Call for help. Once the fire spreads beyond the stovetop, do not attempt to put it out yourself. Immediately evacuate and call 911.

When using oil in the kitchen, never leave your cooking unattended. If a grease fire starts at your home in Austin, TX, take immediate, appropriate action before it spreads. Sometimes you cannot contain the blaze alone. Trust the professionals to help. Call firefighters to douse the flames and a fire restoration specialist to lead the way in fire cleanup and repair.

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