Oven fires occur more often than you realize. The NFPA report states that cooking fires are the primary cause of both home fires and injuries. This kind of fire can pose a significant danger, particularly if you lack the appropriate gear and expertise to manage it. If a fire ignites in your oven, it can quickly become hard to control and may worsen within seconds. Hence, being fully ready is essential in preventing the fire from spreading in these scenarios. This article provides tips on how to safely put out a fire in a kitchen oven.
Types of Oven Fires
The initial stage in arming yourself with information on how to safely and correctly put out an oven fire is to comprehend the various kinds of oven fires. Listed below are various types of oven fires along with their distinct features.
Electric Fires
Oven electric fires can occur for a variety of reasons. Among the potential causes are broken heating components, overloaded circuits, and faulty electrical connections. While using the oven, it’s critical to be aware of warning indications such as a persistent burning smell, burnt outlets, and flickering lights because oven fires can be quite dangerous.
Grease Fires
This type of fire occurs when fat or oil ignites at extremely high temperatures. Grease fires may spread quickly, making them extremely deadly. When extinguishing a grease fire, stay away from water and use baking soda or a large pinch of salt instead. To make matters worse, trying to put out the fire with water won’t help.
Common Causes of Oven Fires
Oven fires may stem from a number of sources, including common user error and electrical problems with the piece of equipment. When an oven is exposed to high temperatures, the most common culprits that might quickly cause it to catch fire are grease and oil. Never forget that grease and oil are not the only things that can start an oven fire. If something spills inside the oven, it can catch fire—greasy or sweet food, or anything really combustible.
How to Safely Extinguish an Oven Fire
Though they can be regarded potentially fatal, there are a few precautions you can take to safeguard your house in case an oven fire breaks out in your kitchen.
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Keep the oven closed
You might feel tempted to quickly open the oven when it catches fire, but this is the worst action to take. Adding extra oxygen to the fire could result in its prolongation and potential rapid spread. Keeping the oven closed will allow the fire to go out on its own.
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Shut off the oven
As soon as you can safely switch off the oven, do so. Disconnect all adjacent electrical appliances to stop the fire from getting bigger. One of the most crucial steps in keeping your kitchen secure is turning off the heat source.
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Use your fire extinguisher
Not all fires can be put out using water. As a matter of fact, water could make the fire worse and even cause it to spread quickly. Grease fire, for example, will require a specific type of fire extinguisher to be put out. Make sure the extinguisher you have is suitable for your kitchen.
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Ensure proper ventilation
Check that the fire has been completely extinguished before opening all the kitchen’s doors and windows for proper ventilation. Ensuring proper air flow throughout the premises will help the smoke and foul odor to disappear quickly.
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Call your local fire department
If the fire becomes unmanageable, contact the local fire department promptly. If you attempt to extinguish the fire alone, you may put yourself at risk. Once the firefighters have extinguished the fire safely, evacuate the area promptly.
Conclusion
In order to keep your kitchen safe, it is important to be prepared to handle an oven fire if one occurs in your cooking area. Keep in mind that anticipating any household emergency, especially those related to fire, is not feasible. If your oven starts a fire, the initial step is to turn off the oven and other nearby electronics to prevent the fire from spreading. Avoid using water to put out the fire, as this could make it spread quickly and result in more injuries. Instead of that, take your fire extinguisher and use it to extinguish the fire. Finally, ensure that your family members leave the affected region and get in touch with the nearest fire department if the fire becomes uncontrollable. By adhering to these safety precautions, you can be reassured that your family is protected in case of home emergencies.