How to Put Out a Toaster Oven Fire
A toaster oven fire can spread quickly from the appliance to the rest of your kitchen or home. Knowing how to extinguish small kitchen fires can save lives and avert property damage. To help prevent fires, regularly clean your toaster oven to keep it free of crumbs that might catch on fire. If your toaster oven does go up in flames, do not attempt to put out the fire with water; doing so can result in shock or electrocution.
Step 1
Close the toaster oven door and unplug the cord from the outlet, if you can do so safely.
Step 2
Pull the pin on the fire extinguisher, if necessary. Aim the extinguisher at the base of the flames, and spray with a sweeping, side-to-side motion.
Step 3
Toss handfuls of baking soda at the base of the flames if you do not have a fire extinguisher. When heated, baking soda releases carbon dioxide, which will help smother the fire.
References
Warnings
- Immediately call 911 if the fire has spread to other areas of the kitchen.
- Never use an APW fire extinguisher — which contains air-pressurized water — to put out an electrical fire.
- Do not touch or move your toaster oven until it has cooled thoroughly.
- Keep your toaster oven and cord away from the stove or other sources of heat. Heat can melt the cord insulation, which can expose wires and start an electrical fire.
- Do not leave food cooking in a toaster oven unattended, even for a few minutes.
Writer Bio
Angela Brown has been a book editor since 1997. She has written for various websites, as well as National Public Radio, Pacifica Radio and more than 20 fiction anthologies. Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater and English from the University of Wisconsin.
Photo Credits
- oven temperature control in red image by laurent dambies from Fotolia.com
More Articles
