Putting out kitchen grease fires

WMAR-2 News

19 Nov 201204:04

Summary

TLDRThe 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.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Kitchen Fire Safety

The paragraph discusses the high risk of kitchen fires on Thanksgiving day and the importance of knowing how to respond. It recounts a personal experience where a stove fire escalated quickly and was incorrectly extinguished with water, leading to a massive fireball and significant property damage. The video demonstrates the danger of using water on a grease fire, which can cause an explosion-like effect. Experts advise against moving a burning pan and instead suggest using a lid to smother the fire or installing stove top fire stops for automatic chemical suppression. The story concludes with a personal commitment to kitchen fire safety to prevent future incidents.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Fireball

A fireball is a large, often spherical mass of fire that can rapidly expand and spread. In the context of the video, a fireball is a dangerous result of a kitchen fire, particularly when a pot of grease catches fire and is incorrectly handled with water. The script describes how quickly a fireball can engulf a kitchen, illustrating the rapid escalation of a cooking fire.

💡Simmer

Simmering is a cooking method where food is heated gently at a low temperature, typically just below the boiling point. The video script mentions simmering as a safe way to heat oil or grease, but it also warns that if the flame is not properly controlled, it can lead to a fireball, emphasizing the importance of careful monitoring while cooking.

💡Flame

A flame is the visible, gaseous part of a fire, characterized by a glowing, flickering light. In the video, flames are central to the kitchen fire scenario, where they can quickly grow out of control. The script describes the flames escalating to a fireball, highlighting the need for immediate and correct action to prevent disaster.

💡Water

Water is a common substance that is often used to extinguish fires. However, the video script cautions against using water on a grease fire, as it can cause the fire to spread explosively by turning into steam. This is a critical piece of safety advice, as it directly contradicts the instinctive reaction many people might have in the face of a fire.

💡Smoke

Smoke is a visible suspension of carbon or other particles in air, typically one of the first signs of a fire. In the script, smoke is mentioned as filling the house after the flames hit the drapes, emphasizing the rapid spread of a fire and the potential for smoke inhalation, which can be as dangerous as the fire itself.

💡Firefighter

A firefighter is a rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires to rescue, protect, and secure the general public. The video script features firefighters demonstrating the dangers of a cooking fire and the correct methods to extinguish it, showing their expertise in handling and educating about fire safety.

💡Test Kitchen

A test kitchen is a space where food is prepared and tested, often for recipe development or demonstration purposes. In the video, a test kitchen at a fire training center is used to simulate a cooking fire, providing a controlled environment to demonstrate the dangers and the correct response to a kitchen fire.

💡Lid

A lid is a flat object that covers the top of a pot or pan, often used to retain heat and prevent spills. The script advises using a lid to safely extinguish a grease fire on the stove by cutting off the oxygen supply, illustrating a simple yet effective method to control a kitchen fire.

💡Cookie Sheet

A cookie sheet is a flat, rectangular metal pan used for baking cookies and other foods in an oven. The video suggests using a cookie sheet as an alternative to a lid to smother a fire, providing a larger surface area to cover the pan and deprive the fire of oxygen, showcasing a practical household item for fire safety.

💡Fire Stop

A fire stop is a device designed to prevent the spread of fire, in this case, a small canister that hangs from the hood of a stove and automatically deploys a fire-extinguishing chemical when a fire is detected. The script describes fire stops as a safety measure that can autonomously handle a stovetop fire, adding an extra layer of protection in the kitchen.

💡Injuries

Injuries are physical harm or damage to the body caused by external forces. The video script mentions that many injuries in kitchen fires occur when people attempt to fight the fire themselves, underscoring the importance of knowing the correct procedures and when to call for professional help.

Highlights

Kitchens are more likely to catch fire on Thanksgiving day than any other day.

A kitchen fire can escalate rapidly within seconds.

Moving a flaming pan can lead to an explosion of fire.

Adding water to a grease fire can cause a dangerous fireball.

Julia's case illustrates the danger of using water on a grease fire.

The fire in Julia's home caused $200,000 in damages.

Overland Park fire department demonstrates the danger of cooking fires.

Eight cameras were set up to record the fire experiment.

A pot of grease was heated to create a fire scenario.

Firefighters simulated a common mistake of using water on a grease fire.

Water turns to steam and can cause an explosion-like effect.

The correct method is to never move a flaming pan and to smother the fire.

Using a lid to smother a fire on the stove is recommended.

Turning off the heat is crucial when using a lid to extinguish a fire.

Cookie sheets or pizza pans can be used for broader coverage to smother fires.

Stove top fire stops are recommended for added safety.

Fire stops work automatically like mini fire extinguishers.

Injuries in kitchen fires often result from victims trying to fight the fire themselves.

Julia now keeps a cookie sheet ready to safely smother any potential fire.