What’s the Best Way to Put Out a Greasy Fire?
Oil hell is pretty much the worst case scenario for any kitchen, but do you know how to react if you happen to be hit by an oil fire? Here’s what you can use to put out a stove fire quickly and safely.
Don’t use water
One of the most important things to remember is never put water on a fire. It may sound counterintuitive, but water can make a fire worse. As the saying goes, water and oil do not mix, and getting water on the burning fat can lead to splashes that will only spread the fire further. If you’ve ever splashed water into a pot of hot oil and got burned by an oil spill, imagine this scenario, but there is also fire with the oil splash. Instead, start with the following steps to put out the fire:
- Turn off the heat source.
- Try removing oxygen from the flame by covering it with another saucepan or baking sheet.
- If you can’t cover it up, put out the fire with plenty of baking soda or salt until it’s out.
- If the fire is too high for choking, baking soda or salt, use a fire extinguisher.
- If you suspect there is more fire than you can handle, call 9-1-1.
Put out the fire
If the heat is low enough, simple suffocation will be enough to allow you to continue cooking. Use a saucepan lid, a damp cloth or fire blanket if you have one, and cover the base of the fire until you run out of oxygen you need to live. This is the first (and easiest) option to use for small fires that can be quickly extinguished.
Use baking soda or salt.
Small fires can also be extinguished with baking soda or salt, two common ingredients you will likely have on hand. Neither is ideal, as both require either a lot of fire or a little fire, but both are practical given their availability in a typical kitchen.
The most important caveat when using these common household items is that you need to be sure what you use, as similar-looking powders – flour, baking powder, sugar, cookie mix, etc. – are flammable and will make a fire worse. … Be careful, the white powder you grab in your panic will really help you.
Use a suitable fire extinguisher.
If you have a large kitchen fire and putting out or throwing a little baking soda and salt on it isn’t enough, you’ll need to step up your efforts with a suitable fire extinguisher. For larger fat fires , an amateur chef and Navy veteran, when asked on the Stack Exchange, suggests having a certain type nearby – a halon fire extinguisher or a water-based film forming foam . Both extinguishing media are used on naval vessels that can handle more than just a small fire of grease on Thanksgiving Day. This is probably overkill for a regular kitchen fire, but useful for larger kitchens or chefs looking to get ready.
However, as with water, improper use of a fire extinguisher can undermine your efforts to fix the problem. As you can imagine, firing a pressurized substance into a pot full of grease can knock objects over and cause fire to spread. Follow the directions written on the extinguisher, which will include stepping back and using the extinguisher until the fire is completely gone, which may take a little longer than you expected. Many fire extinguishers are for single use only, so be sure to check the type of fire extinguisher you have and replace after use if necessary.
This story was originally published in 2013 and has been updated on November 25, 2020 with more complete and accurate information.