Putting out kitchen grease fires

Summary

The video script warns about the dangers of kitchen fires, especially on Thanksgiving, illustrating how quickly a stove fire can escalate. It recounts a woman's experience with a grease fire that caused $200,000 in damages. The Overland Park fire department demonstrates the explosive results of using water on a grease fire, emphasizing the importance of not moving a burning pan and using a lid to extinguish the fire. The script also introduces stove top fire stops, which automatically deploy to put out fires. It concludes with advice on safety measures to prevent such incidents.

Takeaways

• 📝 Kitchens are particularly prone to fires on Thanksgiving Day more than any other day.
• 📱 In the event of a kitchen fire, it's crucial to act quickly as fires can escalate rapidly within seconds.
• 💵 Avoid moving a flaming pan as it may lead to further spreading of the fire and increased risk.
• 💷 Never use water to extinguish a grease fire; it can cause the fire to explode due to the rapid expansion of steam.
• 💲 To safely handle a stove-top fire, use a lid to smother it, ensuring to slide the lid over the pan and turn off the heat.
• 💰 Allowing a pan to cool before removing the lid is important to prevent reignition of flames.
• 💵 An alternative to using a lid is to use a cookie sheet or pizza pan for broader coverage to smother the fire.
• 💵 Installing stove-top fire stops can automatically extinguish fires by dropping a powder that snuffs out the flames.
• 💹 Three out of five kitchen fires with injuries occur because the victim tries to fight the fire themselves.
• 💵 Julia, a fire survivor, now keeps a cookie sheet ready to safely smother any potential fire to prevent a repeat incident.

Q & A

What is the most common day for kitchen fires?

Thanksgiving day is the most common day for kitchen fires.

How quickly can a kitchen stove turn into a fireball?

A kitchen stove can turn into a fireball within seconds.

What did Julia do that caused the fire to escalate?

Julia poured water on the flaming pot, causing the fire to erupt up to the ceiling.

What is the primary mistake people make when dealing with a kitchen fire?

The primary mistake is moving a flaming pan and pouring water on it.

What was the total damage caused by the fire in Julia's case?

The fire caused $200,000 worth of damage to Julia's home.

How did the Overland Park fire department demonstrate the danger of a cooking fire?

They set up a test in a fire training center's test kitchen with cameras to record the fire's progression.

What happened when a firefighter poured water on the fire during the demonstration?

An unbelievable fireball erupted from the pot, proving water to be the worst thing to throw on a cooking fire.

What is the recommended first step to prevent a fire explosion in the kitchen?

Never move the fire; instead, extinguish it on the stove using a lid.

How should you use a lid to extinguish a fire on the stove?

Slide the lid across the pan, ensuring you touch the edge of the pan, then turn off the heat and do not lift the lid until the pan cools.

What is another method to extinguish a fire on the stove?

Using a cookie sheet or pizza pan for broader coverage is another method.

What are 'stove top fire stops' and how do they work?

Stove top fire stops are tiny cans that cover two burners and hang magnetically from the hood. They work like mini fire extinguishers, dropping a powdered chemical to snuff out the fire when a fuse ignites.

What is the likelihood of getting hurt in a kitchen fire where someone tries to fight it themselves?

In three out of five kitchen fires where someone is hurt, the injuries are the result of the victim trying to fight the fire themselves.