How To Handle a Grease Fire

8/2/2021 (Permalink)

Grease fires are very common.

Sometimes cooking doesn’t go as planned, you keep the bread in the oven too long or worse, you could start a grease fire in your kitchen. Consider keeping a small fire extinguisher in your kitchen for emergencies, but if you haven’t purchased one yet, here are some tips for things you can do if you start a grease fire in your kitchen’s home: 

3 Tips to Handle a Grease Fire 

1. First, you should turn off the source of the heat, meaning turn off the burner as quickly as possible.
2. Second, cover the fire with another pot, a metal lid, or a cookie sheet. If you do not have another pot or lid nearby you can try putting baking soda or salt on top of the fire. Doing one of these things will suffocate the fire because it will not have as much oxygen reaching it. 
3. Finally, if you feel unsafe, go outside to a safe location and call 911 or help.

Here are some DO NOTs while attempting to put out a grease fire:

1. Use water or any fabrics to put out a grease fire. 
2. Use baking powder. Although it may look the same baking soda, the chemical make-up is very different and it should not be substituted in the absence of baking soda.
3. Moving the pot that’s on fire, this is very dangerous and should never be attempted.

We know your immediate instinct in the case of a grease fire will be to save your home. However you and your family’s safety should be your number one priority. We hope you never have to worry about a grease fire and the repairs afterwards, but if you do, call SERVPRO of Roanoke Rapids our trained professionals will be ready to help you.