Don't put out a kitchen oil fire with water

[begreen]

This is a pretty dramatic demonstration of what can happen when water is used to put out an oil fire in a pot. 2500 fps slo-mo is incredible.

 

[firefighterjake]

Good video . . . a couple of minor issues.

My memory is pretty bad, but I think I read in a recent issue of the NFPA Journal that the reason the fire flares up as it does is not so much due to evaporation as it is from the water being super heated and converted from a liquid state to steam . . . in other words . . . a small steam explosion that results in it dispersing the fat/cooking oil/etc. molecules which instantaneously catch on fire. Again . . . a minor point.

Second . . . while throwing a wet dish cloth or towel may be the preferred method to extinguish a grease fire in Great Britain, in the U.S. the preferred method is to use a tight-fitting lid . . . or if needed . . . as a last resort . . . a BC or ABC rated fire extinguisher (although your meal will most definitely be ruined and you will most likely spend the next few hours cleaning up the kitchen.)

 

[begreen]

My memory is pretty bad, but I think I read in a recent issue of the NFPA Journal that the reason the fire flares up as it does is not so much due to evaporation as it is from the water being super heated and converted from a liquid state to steam . . . in other words . . . a small steam explosion that results in it dispersing the fat/cooking oil/etc. molecules which instantaneously catch on fire. Again . . . a minor point.

That's right. I think there was a MythBusters episode on that too.

 

[Lake Girl]

Turn off heat source ... you'd be surprised how that may get missed. Tight fitting lid, baking soda.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not a big fan of baking soda.

-- Tends to clump up and the chunks can cause splashing of the hot oil.

-- Sometimes folks panic and forget what works effectively . . . is it salt, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, cocaine, coffee creamer? Some of those things can make things a lot worse when they catch on fire . . . even explode if the right (or wrong) proportions are thrown on to the fire.

-- It ruins your meal. Use the lid and you can tell everyone that you changed your mind and that fried chicken you were planning on serving is now cajun blackened chicken . . . if you use baking soda the chicken tastes awful.

On the flip side, it does work . . . it's mostly what folks use in the BC rated extinguishers (there are some other chemicals they sometimes use, but baking soda is the most common).

 

[Lake Girl]

Coffee creamer is real bad!!

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Good video . . . a couple of minor issues.

My memory is pretty bad, but I think I read in a recent issue of the NFPA Journal that the reason the fire flares up as it does is not so much due to evaporation as it is from the water being super heated and converted from a liquid state to steam . . . in other words . . . a small steam explosion that results in it dispersing the fat/cooking oil/etc. molecules which instantaneously catch on fire. Again . . . a minor point.

Second . . . while throwing a wet dish cloth or towel may be the preferred method to extinguish a grease fire in Great Britain, in the U.S. the preferred method is to use a tight-fitting lid . . . or if needed . . . as a last resort . . . a BC or ABC rated fire extinguisher (although your meal will most definitely be ruined and you will most likely spend the next few hours cleaning up the kitchen.)

While I agree with most of this water does not burn. The evaporation process carries the oil with it hence the "fuel" to burn in the steam.

 

[BrotherBart]

And most of the time it splashes, and burns, on you,

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Stupid hurts. Hopefully only once. Though without stupid I would not have meaningful employment......LOL

 

[Lake Girl]

Stupid hurts. Hopefully only once. Though without stupid I would not have meaningful employment......LOL

Hubby is at the end of a career of combating stupid ... Son is just starting

 

[firefighterjake]

My job is to try to educate the ignorant ... I sometimes think it's a losing battle.

 

[bag of hammers]

Sometimes folks panic and forget what works effective

Happened to a colleague of mine - very smart person, just panicked, reacted, and got some bad burns. Me, I keep a 4lb extinguisher close enough that I can take 2 steps back and grab it off the wall. Not the nicest looking "thing" hanging in the entryway to the kitchen, but I don't really care about that too much.

 

[Sprinter]

Happened to a colleague of mine - very smart person, just panicked, reacted, and got some bad burns. Me, I keep a 4lb extinguisher close enough that I can take 2 steps back and grab it off the wall. Not the nicest looking "thing" hanging in the entryway to the kitchen, but I don't really care about that too much.

Panic is the real culprit in any such situation. You just do stuff that may be worse than doing nothing sometimes. I've seen it many times and treated a few burns as a result. Has nothing to do with smarts or education. Even informal community training can help because even with professionals, you do how you train. We used to conduct local informal training in the use of fire extinguishers and I saw a few nice results as a result.

As regards to stove fires, we always keep a large pan lid right at the stove that will cover nearly anything on the stove. Smother the oxygen, no fire. The extinguisher is also right there as a backup.

 

[bag of hammers]

We used to conduct local informal training in the use of fire extinguishers and I saw a few nice results as a result.

The local fire dept used to do that at my last job (not sure if they still do). Every new employee got some basic fire safety info, and a turn at putting out a test fire out in the parking area - as I recall it was part of the orientation.

 

[Sprinter]

The local fire dept used to do that at my last job (not sure if they still do). Every new employee got some basic fire safety info, and a turn at putting out a test fire out in the parking area - as I recall it was part of the orientation.

I guess I should point out that some of those extinguishers are pretty powerful and can spread a fire if used too closely. But this is where some informal orientation can help. Just a little training session or two can make you a lot more comfortable and less likely to have a panicky response.