Kitchen Fires

Kate · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:11 am Post subject: Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires happen. Though I have only had one at home in all my years of cooking...I encountered them often during my culinary training. The last thing you want to do with a grease fire is pour water on it. That can spread the flames.Everyone should have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, but if you don't, keep a canister of regular table salt in easy reach. It will quickly smother a grease fire. If the pan on fire has a lid, put it on the pan quickly to smother the flames.
In the event that you or someone else is burned, apply ice immediately to the burned area. If it's a hand, place the hand in a bowl of ice water. Never ever apply butter or any greasy type dressing to a burn, this holds the heat in and can cause worse tissue damage. It essentially causes the skin to cook.
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Pfinster · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:15 am Post subject:

Baking soda is great for fires as well. Although it makes a mess, it takes away the oxygen from the fire. If you work in a commercial kitchen and ever have a grill or broiler fire, heavy cream (although expensive) works great. Especially if you work somewhere where the grease drip tray doesnt get cleaned regularly.

Kate · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:07 am Post subject:

Thanks Pfinster, that's another good way to put out a grease fire.
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.

paulamathers · Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject:

when i was in primary school we had the fire brigade come round and show us how to put out chip pan fires, they suggested turning off the heat and throwing a damp towel over the pan. in their demonstration they threw water over the fire and it went up even more.

paulamathers · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:07 pm Post subject:

I forgot to mention, i had my first kitchen fire at the beginning of the month! It was scary and i totally panicked, looking back it was quite comical really though! I have an electric hob/oven stand alone thing, and i have very little storage space, so i have a habit of storing all my oven pans in the oven and then putting them on top of the hob if im using the oven. This time, i had put a tea towel over the hob to dry as it was a bit damp while i was making jacket potatoes in the oven. as usual, i put the oven pans on top of the tea towell on the hob. i went in the bath. i could smell burning but figured i had spilt something in the oven and not noticed - i thought to myself that i had better clean it up when the oven went cold - then forgot about it. when i got out of the bath i could still smell the burning smell so i went to investigate. my eyes stang because of the fumes but i still couldnt see anything. then, just as i was turning away, i saw a tiny bit of smouldering and realised that one of the rings was on and the tea towel was burning. i used the oven gloves to move the pans, and picked up the tea towel with them still on. it immediately burst into flames!! forgetting that i was stood right next to the sink (and dressed in a pink bath towel!) i ran to the front door with the oven gloves and tea towel and threw everything out of the front door onto the metal steps below. everything went up in flames!! i ran to the kitchen and the first thing i picked up was a plastic measuring jug which i had to fill with water 3 times to put the fire out. i really hope no one saw!

Kate · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject:

OMG Paula, I'm sorry but your right, it was comical and I had a good laugh! But seriously that was a very bad situation. It's easy to panick, been there myself. Oh but the mental image, sorry...and I hope the towel didn't slip!
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.

paulamathers · Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:56 pm Post subject:

the most difficult bit (and probably most funny) was trying to unlock the front door with one hand as well as keep my towel up and holding the oven gloves and tea towel in the other hand and not set myself on fire. i really am glad its just me and keri living there, i never would have lived it down if someone else had seen!