Cooking in the kitchen is typically a safe and uneventful daily activity. However, it is always best to be prepared for the unexpected. Frying pan fires can be a dangerous hazard in the kitchen. A raging frying pan fire can have devastating consequences if it is not extinguished in a timely fashion. These practical fire-fighting tips will help save precious time when a frying pan fire is raging out of control.
Your first instinct might be to remove the pan from the stove and place it in the sink. Do not remove the pan. Under no circumstances should a frying pan that has caught on fire be manually removed before the fire has been completely extinguished. Boiling oils, flaming food and burning handles could be extremely harmful. The scalding oils and heated Teflon materials are no match for your skin or your eyes.
In the middle of a panicky situation involving a frying pan fire, remember to turn the stove off. That sounds like a simple matter, but in the heat of the moment, it is often forgotten. If the stove controls can be safely reached without leaning over the flaming pan, turn them off immediately. If then cannot safely be turned off, call the local fire department or dial 911. If the frying pan fire has even the slightest hint of being out of control, promptly call the fire department. The fire department is prepared to deal with frying pan fires in a quick and assertive fashion.
Even though water seems like a viable option for extinguishing the frying pan fire, avoid throwing water on the pan. As mentioned, first instincts often kick into gear during an emergency, but do not follow your intense urge to dispel the fire with water. Water and oil don’t mix, so water will only aggravate the situation. Water could even cause a small explosion when it is mixed with boiling oil. If you are not sure whether there is any oil in the frying pan, do not take any risks and always avoid pouring water on the flame.
In order to successfully use water to extinguish a frying pan flame, run a dishtowel under the water. Quickly wring out the dishtowel completely to where it is only slightly damp. Throw the damp cloth over the pan and keep a safe distance from the fire. If time permits, dampening a second dishcloth and throwing it on top can help extinguish the flames.Frying pan fires can be hazardous and destructive to your home and to your physical body. Always call the fire department because you never know if the fire will begin to rage violently out of control. Never pick up the pan and throw it in the sink and avoid pouring water directly on the pan. A damp dishtowel could be a successful way to extinguish a small fire in a frying pan.
