Dos and Don'ts of Containing a Grease Fire

5/23/2022 (Permalink)

Dos and Don'ts of Containing a Grease Fire

A grease fire in your home in Southwest Ranches, FL, can be terrifying but it is important to remain calm to get it under control. These types of fires are very common but some typical fire safety tips do not apply in this case. Here are some of the dos and don'ts of getting it under control.

Don't Use Water
You should never use water to attempt to douse a kitchen fire. Water and oil do not mix and this will result in:

• Water sinking below the oil
  
• The heat from the fire flash-boiling the water
  
• Boiling water forcefully explodes the oil outwards
  
  

This could result in spreading the fire much further as well as severe injury to yourself.

Do Turn Off the Heat Source
A grease fire needs heat in order to continue to burn. As soon as you are safely able to, turn off the heat to the burner or stove. This will not immediately extinguish the fire but should slow it down.

Don't Move It
A fire of this nature is easily spread and you should never attempt to move it to a sink or outside. As you move it, you may splatter grease and fire around your home. There is also a potential to spill the oil onto yourself resulting in burns.

Do Try To Smother It
Fire needs oxygen to burn, so if you can remove the source of it, the fire will smother quickly. If your flames are contained in a pot or pan, attempt to get the lid on or cover it completely with a cookie sheet. If you have time, put on oven mitts to protect your hands while you do so.
When you experience a grease fire in your home, be sure to follow these tips to safely extinguish it. Afterward, seek out a fire damage assessment from a professional to help with fire cleanup.