Did you know that cooking fires are the leading cause of fires in the United States and that grease fires are one of the main culprits? There are several safety tips people should know when handling a grease fire in your kitchen to extinguish it quickly. If a grease fire starts you’ve got roughly 30 seconds to deal with the fire until the flames may become unmanageable.
As the fire expert in the video below explains, the first thing is to NEVER throw water on it. It’s the absolute worst thing to do as it will cause the flames to burst and burn higher. Another hazard is putting a damp towel on it. It can cause more problems than it solves.
As many fire extinguishers are water-based, they will also potentially cause the flames to go higher. If you are going to use a fire extinguisher, it is recommended you use a Class b dry chemical fire extinguisher to put out a grease fire effectively.
If the flames are small enough, you can try carefully putting a lid on it, like shown in the gif below. Once you’ve put a lid on it, don’t remove it and don’t try to move the pan! (The man in the gif below is doing a demonstration, that’s why he’s lifting off the lid.)
One other tip for small fires is to try and douse it with baking soda.
Finally, if the fire does break out of control, don’t try to be a hero. Be safe! Get out and call 911!
If you found this safety tip useful, share it with your friends!
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links.