It only takes a few minutes for a pan with oil forgotten on the stove to catch fire. In fact, when the cooking oil gets too hot, it catches fire easily. When it heats up, it first starts to boil, then it starts to smoke and finally it catches fire. Most vegetable oils have a smoke point around 230 ° C, while animal fats such as lard or goose fat start smoking at around 190 ° C. If you have the unfortunate misfortune of having to deal with a fire caused by oily components, here's what to do.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Put out the fire
Step 1. Assess security
Your safety and that of your family are much more important than your home. If the fire is still small enough and limited to the pot, you can still handle it safely. If it has already spread to other areas of the kitchen, make sure everyone stays outside the room and call the emergency services. Don't expose yourself to unnecessary risks and stay safe.
Step 2. Turn off the stove heat
This is the first thing to do, as the fatty fire needs heat to stay active. Do not try to move the pot, as you may risk accidentally splashing yourself or spraying the stove with burning oil.
If the fire is pretty brisk but you feel like you have enough time, put on oven mitts to protect your skin. This way, any splashes of grease that come into contact with your hands won't burn you
Step 3. Place something on top of the pot to remove the oxygen source
Before doing this, however, if your clothing is flammable or you fear it may come into contact with fire, remove it. The following items are all suitable for covering the pot:
- Place the lid on the pot using an oven mitt. This is the simplest way to smother a fire caused by cooking oil. With the lid on (and the flame of the stove off), the fire quickly consumes all the oxygen and goes out spontaneously. However, do not use glass lids; they can break due to the extreme heat of open flames.
- Place a baking sheet on top of the pot.
Step 4. If the fire persists, throw some baking soda on it
Baking soda cuts off the oxygen supply. This method works for small fires, but is not effective for larger fires. It would take a large amount of baking soda to get satisfactory results.
Step 5. Use a chemical fire extinguisher
If you have a fire extinguisher handy, it's fine to use it over a flame. While it can pollute your kitchen, it's a good idea to run it if it's a last resort to protect your home from a more serious fire.
Step 6. Wait for the pot to cool and the fire to go out before touching it
Call the emergency services if you are too afraid to approach the fire or don't know what to do. Don't risk your life to save a kitchen.
Part 2 of 3: What Not to Do
Step 1. Do not throw water on the flames resulting from the oil
This is the first mistake that many people make with the fire caused by cooking oils; you would only make things worse. Water and oil do not mix. In this case, merging them would be disastrous.
Since water is heavier than oil, it immediately drops to the bottom of the pot (water and oil are not soluble with each other). Then it overheats and evaporates quickly; evaporation expands rapidly, directing and spouting the fire in all directions
Step 2. Do not try to put out the fire with a towel, apron or other clothing
Most likely, blowing the fire spreads. Do not even place a wet towel over the flames in an attempt to dampen the oxygen.
Step 3. Do not throw any other baked goods on the fire, such as flour
You may think that flour produces the same results as baking soda, but it doesn't react in the same way. Only baking soda can help put out these types of fires.
Step 4. Do not move the burning pot
Another common mistake people make is to try to move the burning pot to another place, perhaps outside, where it is thought that it cannot do any damage. This is actually a mistake. If you move oil that has caught fire, you risk causing flames to escape and potentially burn any other flammable object with which it comes into contact.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Fires Caused by Oil
Step 1. Whenever you heat oil or fat, stay in the kitchen
It is important to keep the stove in check. Most fires resulting from cooking oils occur just when you go out for a "moment" and completely forget what's on the stove. So stay in the kitchen to avoid this risk. You should be able to smell the pungent smell of the oil before it catches fire.
Step 2. Use a pot with a heavy lid
Cooking with a lid allows both to retain the oil inside the pot and to block the supply of oxygen in case it catches fire. Obviously, the fire can also occur in this case, but it is still more difficult.
Step 3. Hook a thermometer to the side of the pot to check the oil temperature
Keep an eye on it to know how hot it gets. Again, if you notice streaks of smoke or smell an acrid smell, immediately turn off the flame of the stove or remove the pot from the burner. The oil doesn't immediately catch fire when you start smoking, but smoking is a sign of danger and should alarm you.
Advice
- Keeping a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the kitchen is a very wise choice. Make sure your fire extinguisher is suitable for all uses or specific for a fat fire.
- If the fire is extensive, call the fire brigade immediately.
- Spray the pot with a Class B powder fire extinguisher. This must be your last resort, as fire extinguishers contaminate the kitchen. Nonetheless, it remains the best alternative if the fire gets out of your control. Use a class F liquid, if available. While it is most effective for extinguishing fires resulting from large oils, it is generally only found in commercial premises. If you use the class B powder extinguisher, know that it will spoil the food and contaminate the dishes and kitchen utensils. So make sure it's really the only possible solution.
Warnings
- Do not use flour or milk or sugar on an oil fire. The sugar and the flour ignite.
- Never, never pouring water on a fire caused by oil, this would only make the fire flare up even more.
