You’ve started to warm up the grease to sauté some delicious meat or vegetables, and suddenly you get distracted by a phone call or someone ringing the doorbell. The grease begins to overheat, produces smoke, and — before you know it — it catches on fire. What you do to put out the grease fire can either work for you or against you, so we encourage you to keep the following grease fire safety tips in mind. Show In the event of a grease fire:
How to prevent a grease fire:
Sources: Not to scare you into ordering takeout more often, but more home fires are caused by cooking mishaps than anything else—and these cooking fires lead to more injuries than any other type of residential fires, according to the most recent United States Fire Administration data. Especially dangerous are grease fires, responsible for one out of every five at-home fire deaths. Knowing what causes this particular flame to form and how to put out a grease fire quickly could actually save your life. More than 60 percent of grease fires occur on the stovetop, when fat or oil hits boiling state, then starts to smoke—and can predictably catch fire soon after. So the first and most important rule to preventing grease fires is to never leave a pan unattended: Simply stepping to the pantry while you’ve got a slicked-up pan on the heat could lead to big trouble. The smoking point ranges from 375 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the fat or oil in question, but the first sign of smoke indicates the danger zone. If a grease fire does start, never, ever douse it with water or any other kind of liquid in an attempt to extinguish it. Liquid vaporizes as it hits fire, instantly creating steam explosions in all directions and potentially engulfing a kitchen in flames. So cook with care, and keep the following information in mind—and supplies on hand—so you can stay cool should a grease fire ever ignite. Summary
 How to Put Out a Grease FireSTEP 1For a grease fire contained on the cooktop, turn off the stove immediately if you can safely reach it. Do not attempt to move the pan. Movement can cause the fire to get stronger and grow faster. If the fire has spread beyond the cooktop to anything nearby—curtains, counter, cupboard, wall—do not attempt to get near the stove. It takes less than five minutes for an entire room to become engulfed in flames, so grab your phone and leave the area, closing the door to contain the fire. Get out of the house and call 911. Advertisement If the fire is in the oven or microwave, do not open the door—that would cause oxygen to rush in and create a flame surge. Instead, turn off the appliance immediately and move to Step 5, calling 911. STEP 2If a small fire is contained within a pan, throw as much baking soda or salt as you have on hand directly on top of the fire. Do not throw flour, biscuit mix, or baking powder onto the flames, as all these substances are combustible; only salt and baking soda are safe for extinguishing a fire. Do not throw salt or baking soda onto the flames from the side, which could cause the fire to leap out the back of the pan and catch elsewhere. Do not swat the fire with towels or an apron, which could also cause it to spread. Photo: istockphoto.com If salt or baking soda fail to quell the flames and you own a class K fire extinguisher, continue to Step 3; homeowners without a class K extinguisher should skip to Step 4. If the fire has been fully put out by salt or soda—no more flames or smoke visible—air out the room and proceed to cleanup. STEP 3Only a class K fire extinguisher can put out grease fires; other types contain water or other agents that could worsen the fire. The class K extinguisher will contaminate your kitchen and make for a huge mess, but if it’s a choice between a tough cleanup job and your house burning down, go for it! To use the fire extinguisher, remember P.A.S.S.: Pull the pin, aim the nozzle, squeeze the lever, and sweep the flames. STEP 4If smoke or visible flames continue to come from the pan, cover it with a metal lid or cookie sheet to deprive the fire of oxygen. Never put a glass or ceramic lid, bowl, or plate over a grease fire; these could explode and become shrapnel, injuring you in the process. Should you need to adjust the lid or sheet, use metal tongs or a spatula—not cloth mitts or a kitchen towel, which could ignite. Once there’s no evidence of flames or smoke, move on to Step 6. Advertisement STEP 5If you’ve covered the fire and it’s still actively smoking, leave the area, close the door, and go outside. Call 911 and report a kitchen grease fire. You’ll be asked what the flames are doing and what you’ve done so far, as the fire department is dispatched. The dispatcher, trained to confront fires of all kinds, may instruct you to take other fire-mitigating steps, so stay on the phone and follow the course of action. The dispatcher may ultimately cancel the response call if the situation is deemed safe. Once you know the fire is out (911 dispatch will help you ascertain this safely, but a lack of new smoke is a good indicator), air out the kitchen by opening windows and doors. When the kitchen is smoke-free, breathe a sigh of relief. You’ll have a long day of cleanup ahead, but you saved your home, and yourself! What are the 4 steps to putting out a grease fire?How to Put Out a Grease Fire. Turn Off the Stove. If you're cooking and a pot catches fire, the first step is to remove the heat source. ... . Cover with a Lid. The easiest way to cut off oxygen to a grease fire is to cover it with a metal pan lid or baking sheet. ... . Douse the Flames. ... . Use the a Class K Fire Extinguisher. ... . Call 911.. Can you throw flour on a grease fire?Do NOT use flour on a grease fire. While sometimes baking soda can extinguish a small grease fire (though not if the fire is too overwhelming), flour cannot and should not be used. Due to chemical risk of contaminating your kitchen, putting out a grease fire with your fire extinguisher should be the last resort.
Does salt stop a grease fire?Salt will smother the fire almost as well as covering it with a lid, while baking soda chemically extinguishes it. But you'll need a lot of each--toss on handfuls with abandon until the flame subsides. Avoid using flour or baking powder, which can explode in the flames instead of snuffing them out.
What should you never put on a grease fire to put it out?Don't extinguish a grease fire with water or a wet towel. Don't use flour, baking powder or sugar to smother the fire. Don't remove the pan from the burner or place it in the sink. The oil may splash around and potentially burn you.
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How do you stop a grease fire?
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