Kitchen and other cooking-related infernos are the number one cause of residential fires in the United States. The majority of these fires are caused when grease ignites food or other combustible kitchen items. Because these incidents are so common, it’s very important that you learn how to put out a grease fire. Consult the following checklist to keep your kitchen in Orange County, CA safe from cooking-related infernos.
Putting Out Grease
Fires Knowing how to respond quickly and efficiently to kitchen fires can prevent the flames from causing devastating damage to you and your home. To put out a grease fire:
- Contain the flames by placing a metal sheet, pot lit, or baking tray over the top of the pot or pan where the fire originated.
- Switch off your cooktop, or whichever other appliance that started the fire.
- If the fire is small, you can attempt to extinguish it by pouring baking soda or salt over the flames.
- Use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, but only as a last resort.
Your first instinct may be to pour water over the flames, but this will not remedy the situation. Likewise, you should never attempt to move the pot or pan where the fire originated. If you opt to pour baking soda or salt over the fire, you need to make sure that you don’t accidentally grab baking powder or flour. The chemical makeup in these two ingredients can actually make the fire worse.
Preventing Grease Fires
Plan A should always be preventing incidents from happening in the first place. You can avoid devastating fire cleanup and damage by never leaving your cooktop unattended while it’s on. The flames may seem small and harmless, but they can quickly spread out of control if you don’t pay close attention.
A grease fire can quickly devastate your kitchen if you aren’t careful. Make sure to always follow proper fire safety protocol in order to prevent incidents. If a fire does ignite, use the above checklist to safely extinguish the flames. If you find that the fire cannot be contained, you need to evacuate the house immediately and contact your local fire department.
