How to Put Out a Stove Fire

After the Fire

Stove fires often happen with grease being the culprit. Hot grease can become so hot it will ignite. Oil is famous for starting stove fires as well. A stove fire can quickly spread to counters and cabinets, curtains and other flammable things in your kitchen. The most important thing you can do to prevent a stove fire is to stay near the appliance while you are cooking. Leaving it unattended is the leading cause of all kitchen fires according to the National Fire Protection Association. Here are some steps for putting out a stove fire, should it happen to you.

Things You'll Need

• Pan lid
• Baking Soda
• Phone
• Fire extinguisher

Instructions

1. If a small grease fire starts in a frying pan or saucepan, simply top the pan with a lid to smother the flames. Do not use oven mitts for doing this. The mitts could catch on fire as well. One thing to watch out for is the fact that glass lids can crack and break under extreme heat conditions. If you can use a metal lid instead, that would be beneficial. Turn off the burner leaving the pan in place. Do not move the pan. Leave the lid on until the fire is completely extinguished.

2. Never use water on a grease fire. It only makes the situation worse. Try smothering the fire with baking soda. The only problem with use baking soda is that it requires a lot to work, so unless it is very easily accessible, it is probably quicker to find a lid.

3. A multi-purpose, dry chemical fire extinguisher will also work. Keep a small Class A, B or C extinguisher in your kitchen in an easily accessible place away from the stove. Just be aware that the residue from the extinguisher will contaminate your kitchen and food and leave a messy residue to clean up. You will want to clean this residue up as soon as possible.

4. Do not try to carry the fire outside. Moving the pan will cause the grease to splash and spread the fire and can cause burns.

5. If the fire becomes more than you can handle, evacuate the building. Fires spread extremely fast and can overwhelm in minutes. In this case, call 911 from a neighbor's house.

6. Treat burns only after the fire is extinguished. Your may concern is to get the fire out quickly. The NFPA advises to run the burn under cool water for a few minutes, about 3 to 5 should be good. Next, cover the burn with a dry and clean cloth. Take note of the size of the burn. Is it bigger than a fist? Seek medical help immediately. Also call your doctor, if the burn causes you any concern.

7. If a fire starts in the oven, turn off the oven and leave the door closed. After the fire is out, let the oven cool completely. It should then be checked by an appliance technician and cleaned before using again.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not become over-excited. Try to stay calm.

• Never pour water on a grease or oil fire.

• Remove children and pets from the kitchen as soon as the fire breaks out.

Resources

• Cooking Safety Checklist (PDF)