Grease Fire Prevention

Grease fires can occur when pans on the stove or in the oven overheat to the point that the grease catches on fire. The best way to prevent a grease fire from occurring is to never leave your food unattended on a hot stove or in the oven. However, grease fires can occur even in a supervised kitchen. To extinguish a grease fire:

• First, turn off the heat source so that the pan and its burning contents may begin to cool.
• Never throw water on a grease fire. The water can evaporate on contact with the high-temperature fire and cause an explosion, or can splatter the grease and cause serious burns.
• Place a damp towel, a pan lid, or baking soda over the fire in order to prevent oxygen from reaching it. Or, use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, if available.
• Wait for the pan to completely cool before removing the lid or towel, as a sudden surge of oxygen to a dangerously hot pan can cause a fire to reignite.
• Never substitute flour or sugar for baking soda when attempting to extinguish a grease fire, as flour and sugar will burn on contact with grease and can cause the fire to explode or intensify.
• If the fire gets out of your control or if you cannot extinguish the fire, call the fire department immediately to prevent further damage to your home and to prevent injuries.

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If you or a loved one has been injured in a fire, the New York City fire injury lawyers of Orlow, Orlow & Orlow, P.C. can help.