The big no-no in most kitchen fires is to douse them with water, since the majority of cooking-related fires involve either grease or electrical appliances. Water will often only make a grease or electrical fire worse. Instead, you want to smother them, depriving the fire of oxygen and, hopefully, putting it out.
Although most believe you should replace all appliances after a fire, it may not always be necessary. If you clean the oven thoroughly and it's functioning properly, it is most likely safe to use again after a fire. If you want to be extra careful, you should also check for cracks in the walls and ceiling of the oven.
After a fire, sleeping in a house exposes you to soot and smoke, which are very dangerous elements. After a fire, it's natural for these two to remain, together with bad odor. The more you stay inside the house, the more smoke and soot get into your system, resulting in devastating health effects.
Can you put a wet towel on a grease fire? You should never, under any circumstances, try to put out a grease fire with anything containing water–even a wet towel. This could cause the fire to splatter and spread. Instead, try to smother the flames with a tightly fitting (metal) lid or cookie sheet.
Technically, salt can be used to put out grease fires. However, there is a myriad of caveats to this, the first being that this only works on small fires. You need a huge amount of salt for it to be effective, more than you could practically carry and dispense quickly enough.
The vaporizing water can also carry grease particles in it, also spreading the fire. DO NOT Throw Any Other Baking Product on the Fire - Flour might look like baking soda, flour is combustible. and it won't react the same as baking soda. Only baking soda can help put out a grease fire.
Two-thirds (66 percent) of kitchen fires occurred after cooking oil, fat, grease, butter, and other cooking substances were ignited. Oil can make the fire spread faster and can still cause a fire the next time someone cooks if there's any residue left on the stovetops.
You should never put water on a grease fire, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Keep the air vents open to provide a good supply of oxygen to the fire. Add larger pieces of wood as needed, ensuring that they're dry and seasoned correctly. Use a poker or tongs to move the wood around if necessary, and remove any ash buildup from the firebox.
To cool down an overfiring stove, you will need to reduce the airflow by partially closing the air vents, reducing the oxygen intake. This will slowly lower the temperature as your fire's oxygen supply depletes, calming the fire and bringing your stove down to a more appropriate temperature.
After a house fire, do not make an attempt to use any electrical appliances, it might ignite another fire and cause further damage.
Properly Handling Stove Fires
NEVER pour water on a stove fire, especially if there is any grease, as this can cause the fire to explode into a fireball. A small pan fire on your stove can usually be extinguished by turning off the heat and covering the pan with either its lid or a wet towel to smother the flames.
Throw lots of baking soda or salt on it. Never use flour, which can explode or make the fire worse. Smother the fire with a wet towel or other large wet cloth.
Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number. Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away.
Instead, you can reach for two pantry staples to help douse a small grease fire safely: Baking soda is effective because it releases carbon dioxide when heated, which can smother the fire. Salt forms a barrier between the fire and the air. This prevents the fire from getting the oxygen it needs.
Besides water, ADT says that you should never put out a grease fire with a wet towel as well as flour, baking powder, or sugar. So what should you do if a grease fire occurs in your home? Turn the heat off and do not move the pot or pan. Cover the fire with another pot or a metal lid.
Salt or baking soda is the best alternative and is usually available in the kitchen. These granular chemicals efficiently extinguish the fire by suffocating it with carbon dioxide. Sodium bicarbonate, sometimes known as baking soda, is the same chemical that fire extinguishers contain.
Call 9-1-1. Give first aid where needed; cool and cover burns to reduce the chance of further injury or infection. Let friends and family know you're safe. People and animals that are seriously injured or burned should be transported to professional medical or veterinary help immediately.
The most important rule is to never leave the fireplace burning unattended. Be sure to turn off the fireplace before going to bed or leaving the house.