Grease Fire Tips for Homeowners

It’s easier to be prepared in advance of a grease fire instead of trying to figure out what to do while you’re in a panic. I once had the bottom burner of my oven catch on fire. Thankfully I caught it just as it started. I turned off the oven, left the door closed, pulled the stove out of its place then unplugged it. Thankfully that solved the problem. I’m not sure if the fire started as a result of grease on the burner or if it was purely electrical. Either way, I can say I was in a bit of a panic since the fire took at little time to extinguish.

There are 3 things a fire needs to keep burning; fuel, heat and oxygen. To put out a fire you need to effectively eliminate one of these. There are different ways to put out a fire depending on the circumstances. Here are some tips for different situations.

• When cooking with oil DO NOT leave it unattended – EVER!
• When oil begins to smoke it is a danger sign that the oil is too hot and could catch fire.
• If a pan of oil catches fire, turn off the heat; cover the pot with a METAL lid that covers the whole top of the pan to deprive the oxygen. If you don’t have a lid use a cookie sheet. Don’t move the pot while it’s on fire to avoid spilling or splashing oil and starting another fire. When the fire is out, let sit until it cools.
• If you have a small fire on the stove, pour LOTS of salt or baking soda on it. Do Not use flour.
• Do Not use water as this can cause the fire to spread.
• For small fires you can soak a towel in water, wring it out and smother the fire.
• For a fire in a micro-wave; turn off the power and leave the door shut to deprive it of oxygen.
• If you use a fire extinguisher, make sure you have the right one. You should research them because there different kinds of extinguishers for different situations. If you use a high pressure extinguisher, back away and aim at the base of the fire. Be careful not to blow the oil out of the pot.
• If the fire is out of control, get out and call 911.

Having a plan in place is smart, I  like to have a big box of baking soda or salt around at the very least, just in case.  If you’d like to talk about your homeowners insurance needs please give us a call.