SERVPRO of Wilson County WHAT TO DO IN A GREASE FIRE

10/19/2020 (Permalink)

It's hard not to panic when you see flames in your kitchen, but if you do end up with a grease fire damage in Wilson County, there's a good chance you can put it out yourself if you know what you’re doing. If a grease fire starts, make sure you know how to safely put it out and do what it takes to prevent a grease fire from flaring up in the future. 

Safely Putting out a Grease Fire

If a grease fire starts, act quickly by smothering it with a metal pan lid or cookie sheet over the top. You can also put out a grease fire with baking soda or salt. Whatever you do, do NOT try to extinguish it with water. You'll just end up spreading the fire across your kitchen.

When your pan catches fire, you don't want to burn yourself with scorching hot handles or splashing oil, so don't try to move it or pick it up. If you have a large fire, or it starts to spread, don't put yourself at risk trying to stop it. Just get out and call 911.

Preventing a Grease Fire

A 2018 study found that fat, grease, cooking oil and related substances that could be associated with grease were first ignited in 53% of the home cooking fires that began with cooking materials. This is why the safest method for putting out a grease fire comes with doing everything possible to not have on in the first place. Here are a few tips to help you keep your kitchen from being struck by a grease fire:

• Add food gently to prevent splatter.
• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food.
• Do not put frozen foods into hot grease.
• Remove as much moisture as possible from the food before putting it in hot oil.
• Keep a lid near the pan you're cooking with so that it is accessible if a fire starts.

If You’ve Been Affected by a Grease Fire

As you can see, most of the advice about how to sidestep a dangerous grease fire comes down to being careful and mindful in the kitchen. If something does happen to your property where a grease fire does occur, make sure to call SERVPRO of Wilson County immediately after a grease fire at (615) 449-5000 to get a team dispatched to your property that understands the importance of fire damage restoration. The SERVPRO team’s methods and experience will ultimately be the difference maker in the future of your property.