• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. It may be counterintuitive, but water can make a grease fire worse. Is the kettle leaking? Only open the door once you’re confident the fire is completely out, standing to the side as you do. • Do Not Use Water – Pouring water can cause the oil to splash and spread the fire. Its thermostat stops it from overheating, better still choose oven chips. Pull the plug out or switch off power at the fuse box. Do not use water. I am not sure if I will be purchasing a new toaster oven for my kitchen. If you have a fire: Just get out! It won't adequately stifle the flames, and you'll just be wasting precious time, allowing the fire to grow. Grease fires on the stovetop are common, but many issues can also cause an oven fire. And oil floats on top of water. In fact, it’s an ideal fuel for a fire and difficult to put out. What a terrific reminder! Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains— away from your stovetop. As Labor Day weekend approaches, cookouts will be a popular event among revelers, but it's important to be aware of the risk of grease fires. Nearly two thirds of all domestic fires happen because of cooking. Do not use a general fire extinguisher on a pan filled with oil or fat. Also, do not throw hot grease in the garbage. Do not overload sockets; one plug per socket is the rule, especially if the appliance takes a lot of power (like a kettle). When there is an oven coil sparking, the sparks may ignite grease on the element. Never throw water on a grease fire. The kitchen is a prime spot for house fires to start. Baking soda can help put out kitchen fires! This is perfect for me right now. [12] X Research source And flour, unlike baking soda, can actually explode when it's in dust form. If a grease fire does erupt on your stove, turn off the heat right away. I’ve learned that the pressure gauge on a fire extinguisher should be checked at least monthly to make sure that the extinguisher is in proper working order. ... making the fire worse, and--since water doesn't mix with oil--water can cause the oil to spray elsewhere, throwing flaming oil onto other nearby surfaces. (Maybe someone was trying to tell me something!). NEVER throw water on a grease fire. If you’re called away from the cooker by the phone or by someone at the door, take pans off the heat. I have the fire extinguisher under the sink as well …but have not checked it in so long. Cooking safety for kids. About twenty people are killed or injured every day in accidental fires that start in their kitchen, the most common of these are caused by deep fat frying. Dial 999 and call the Fire and Rescue Service. Luckily, I was able to easily put out the flames with just water, and no damage was done to our kitchen or to our home. 33 West Street, Alford, LN13 9FX, Fire Extinguishers – Classes, Colour Coding, Rating, Location and Maintenance, Explanation of the Coding System for Fire Door Closers in BS EN 1154: 1997, Fire Risk Assessment Guidance for various Premises, Small Premises Providing Sleeping Accommodation, Hotels, Boarding Houses and like Premises, Educational Establishments including Schools and Colleges, Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan and the Fire Procedure, Fire Safety in New, Extended or Altered Buildings, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988/1989, 1993 and 2010, Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals Regulations) 1996, The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 – Chapter 21, Role Structure in the British Fire Service, Information about the Fire Triangle/Tetrahedron and Combustion, Graphical Symbols and Abbreviations for Fire Protection Drawings, What to expect if a Fire Safety Inspector Calls, Fire Safety Statistics for the United Kingdom, Phase out of Halon in Portable Extinguishers. If you know about those problems, the chances are you will be less likely to have a fire in your kitchen. I am a little scared off of them at the moment! For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Microwaves are responsible for many fires. Things NOT TO DO with a grease fire. Don’t be one of them, know what to do and what not to do in the kitchen. Do not cook if you’re affected by alcohol or prescription drugs. I’m putting on my to-do list right now! Always clean the grill pan after using it. I did buy another toaster oven — I just didn’t buy a … Thanks, Nikki. Electrical appliances especially those that work at high speeds, such as the washing machine – should be serviced each year. Make sure your ventilation is working properly and not blocked up, especially if you have a gas cooker. If something flames up in the oven or the nuke machine, stay calm. Water is not effective against oven and stove top fires. For more on how to put out a toaster oven fire, check out this article on, putting out toaster oven fires by WikiHow, Karen@From the Garden Table recently posted…. All fire fighting equipment should be in accordance with the appropriate British Standard Specification. Now, I am at least going to give them a quick read before recycling them! Before I knew it, I smelled burning, and there was a fire raging in my toaster oven! I should also purchase a fire extinguisher for the garage, and another one for the basement, both places where fire extinguishers are needed. REACH FOR THE EXTINGUISHER. Check the toaster is clean and well away from curtains. April 1, 2011[Last updated: December 11, 2020], © 2020 Safelincs Ltd How to: Heat 2-cups water in a kettle to a boil, then place the water for steaming in a small pan (I use a small cast iron fry pan) that was preheating in the oven. If a pan of food or chip pan catches fire do not attempt to remove from the stove, it could give you terrible burns if incorrectly handled. I was watching it the whole time. Steps you should take to make the kitchen a safe place. The safest way to deep fry is to use a thermostat-controlled electric deep fat fryer. Never, ever, ever. But the house does smell like smoke — even though I had the windows open (in freezing winter weather) for several minutes! Allow the smoke to clear before determining the cause of the fire and possibly resuming cooking. Thanks! Never throw water on a grease fire. Remember you are heating several pints of oil to extremely high temperatures. Throwing it on a grease fire spreads the flames, and water is very dangerous around electric appliances. If the food in the toaster isn't greasy, you can also throw water on the fire to kill it. To prevent the spread of flames caused by a grease spill on the stove or in the oven, use a fire extinguisher or throw on the fire source. Well done. Cut off the oxygen of microwave or oven fires. I bought a new fire extinguisher today! The fire should go … The two basic types of clay used as a modeling material are hardening clay and non-hardening clay. article Scary Toaster Oven Fire and I too never thought a Toaster Oven would catch on fire until I bought a new Toaster Oven and read the safety rules. Wow, that is scary, Karen! A build-up of fat and bits of food can start a fire. The oil can cause terrible burns and go up in flames. Never fill a deep fat fryer more than a third full of oil. The ONLY fire extinguishers safe for deep fat fryers are wet chemical extinguishers! ‘Dry’ water mist extinguishers and foams can be used as well if they have been tested to 35kV. Yikes! Throwing water on a grease fire only increases the danger. Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet. Baking soda can help put out kitchen fires! I recently had an oven fire (had to open doors and windows in single digit weather too) and it has already slipped my mind to get a new fire extinguisher. ‘Dry’ water mist extinguishers and foams can be used as well if they have been tested to 35kV. Never put water on a grease fire, says Mancuso. I panicked and the only thing I could think of to do was to pour a glass of water on it to put it out (yes it was still plugged in. You’re likely to fan the flames and spread … A domestic fire blanket which is sited in the kitchen or close to the kitchen in the line of exit. Most kitchen fires occur when people leave things unattended. Seven thousand people are injured in kitchen fires each year and that doesn’t include the people who are killed. There is nothing like a fire extinguisher that doesn’t work when you need it! It only takes minutes for an unattended pot of oil to catch fire, so never turn your back on it! I put the taco shell into my convection toaster oven, set the timer, and stepped away to my computer (just feet away) to reply to an email. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave. Never throw water on the fire. Baking soda will put out the grease fire, but it won't stop the sparking. The funny thing is that a few minutes before the fire, I was cleaning out a junk drawer in the kitchen and had come across some old pamphlets about fire safety, and was going to throw them out. Faulty wiring and older appliances could lead to an electrical fire in the kitchen. Great reminder–I’m sure our fire extinguisher is too old, too. I might be making our toast in a frying pan on the stove from now on! Let the pan cool for a long time. This prevents re-ignition. If the fire does not go out or you don’t feel comfortable sliding a lid over the pan, get everyone out of your home. Non-hardening clay is malleable and reusable. Was toasting half of a meatball sub in the toaster oven. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, but never lean over the pan to the controls, switch off the supply at the meter if necessary. Kris {Driven by Decor} recently posted…Organizing the Kitchen: Our New Coffee Station. But nothing came out! Filed Under: how to, Kitchen Tagged With: how to, kitchen, So scary – glad that everything turned out ok. If you have consumed alcohol, do not be tempted to cook with a chip pan. My husband loves toaster ovens, though. As with a grease fire, you should never use water to extinguish an electrical fire. My kids and I were having a normal Tuesday night yesterday when I decided to heat up a taco shell and have a second taco for dinner. A build-up of fat and bits of food can start a fire. This view is supported by national statistics which reported some time ago up to 47% of fires are not reported to the Fire and Rescue Service which would suggest the fires were extinguished by the occupants. This section covers how to keep safe while cooking, plus what to do if a fire starts in your kitchen. Don't put anything metal in the microwave. Tear open the box and dump the whole thing on the flames. Do not leave appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers on at night. Greg Foot demonstrates to Fran and Dominic the dangers of throwing water on an oil fire. Do you have a toaster oven or a toaster in your kitchen? The most important point about cooking is to avoid being distracted. Keep the oven, hob and grill clean. Do not put a plant pot or anything wet on top of an electrical appliance. Glad you have new extinguishers, Kris, and thanks for stopping by! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Instead, slide a lid over the pan or use Baking Soda to suffocate the fire. How to Put Out an Electrical Fire. Never leave your cooking unattended. Thank you for the. It’s been nothing but trouble, burning toast and cookies left and right. The toaster oven itself looks fine now that it's been cleaned out but the plug now has some concerning grey/blue gunk on it; I couldn't say for sure if it was there before the fire or not, though. It went out of its own accord, Never throw water on an oil/fat fire though Never throw water or use a fire extinguisher on this type of fire. If you have any doubts or concerns, contact the fire department for assistance. Never throw water or use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire. DO NOT move or carry the pan outside, it will fan the flames and risk spreading. • Do Not Move the Pot or Carry It Outside – Throwing the pot outside might seem logical in the frenzy of the moment. Thank you, Randi! The water will sink to the bottom of the pot, where it will become super-heated and eventually explode, sending scalding grease and water everywhere. I did buy another toaster oven — I just didn’t buy a convection one, since those run so much hotter! Do not put oven gloves or tea towels down on the cooker after you’ve used them. Even if the phone or doorbell rings. Smother flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Think about what you are doing when you are deep fat frying. For more on how to put out a toaster oven fire, check out this article on putting out toaster oven fires by WikiHow. Once the sparking stops, you can handle the grease fire by spreading baking soda or closing the door. Remember, fires start when your attention stops. I was surprised as you to learn Toaster Ovens can catch on fire. Karen@From the Garden Table recently posted…Mint Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake. Carefully open the oven door (it will be smoky!) Nothing stupid about throwing water on a fire. So when you throw water onto a grease fire, the water sinks below the oil and is flash-boiled to steam by the intense heat, which blows the oil out like a small explosion. 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