Not all fires are created equal.
When confronted with a fire, the impulse of most is to reach for the nearest water source or fire extinguisher. Natural, but not always correct or safe.
This is especially true of a grease fire, which occurs when cooking oil grows too hot.
If you cook a lot in your home, grease fires are a real possibility. Here are 5 very important things you need to know about them.
1. DON’T Use Water
Ever here the phrase “like oil and water”?
It’s because the two don’t mix.
Rather than putting out your grease fire, pouring or spraying water on it will simply cause the oil to splash and spread the fire. Even the water that vaporizes from the heat can end up carrying grease particles, spreading the fire even further.
2. DON’T Move It
Since grease fires start out in the pot or pan the oil was in, in the panic of the moment, some will try to pick up the pan and run it outside to dump the oil out.
While this may be a natural impulse, it is extremely dangerous. You may end up spilling burning oil all over yourself and the kitchen, and could very easily spread the fire as you try to get it outside.
3. DO Turn Off the Heat
Before you do anything else, turn off the heat.
Especially if you catch it early, simply turning off the heat could allow the fire to die down. But whether turning the heat off is enough to stop the fire by itself or not, it is absolutely the first step you should take.
4. DO Cover it with a Metal Lid
If it is a small flame up that is contained in a pot or pan and not too dangerous to do so, cover the pot or pan with a metal lid. Fire needs oxygen to burn, so putting a lid on it will extinguish it.
However, do NOT use a glass lid, if that is what you have. The glass will shatter in response to the growing heat, adding yet another hazard to an already dangerous situation.
5. DO Use a Class B Fire Extinguisher
To quickly get the fire under control, reach for a Class B fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire. Class B is a dry chemical fire extinguisher and is specifically designed to handle grease fires.
Be sure that it is, or at least covers, Class B fires – if it is the wrong type of fire extinguisher it could make the fire worse.
Are You Prepared?
Do you have the proper fire extinguisher and safety equipment for your kitchen? The experts at Koorsen can ensure that your kitchen has everything it needs in case the worst should happen.
Contact Koorsen today for more information.
