Turn on your exhaust fan if it is off. I live out in the country, and response time from the fire department can be slower than in the city. I also keep an extinguisher under the sink. The saucepan of oil on the stove catches fire? Fastest thing is to soak a dishtowel and drop it over it. 1. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and This is what our scholarly search turned up about dealing with a kitchen fire. Which can also happen if you make mistake number three - reaching through a fire to shut off the knob on the back panel of an electric range. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure. Even if you think you can take care of the fire yourself, it’s important to have backup if the flames do get out of control. Good tip though – many don’t know that! Our oven blew a burner and burned until we hit it with fire extinguisher. ! Aim at … Point is, electric cars can catch fire in certain situations (just like a gas powered car) and since they're new, people will freak out about it for a while. I never leave my pets inside when I'm not home. Do not use water. Apply this method only on really small, smoking grease splatters. This was not an old house. What can cause a stove fire if nothing is on the stove? Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, but never lean over the pan to the controls, switch off the supply at the meter if necessary. (Never had much luck getting the landlord to do that!). The easiest way to do this is to access the electrical main, cutting power off entirely. When flames surprise your culinary adventures, what you should do is the following: Either cover the fire with a metal pot lid (if the fire is in a pan, this should work well, but I’m a burner where there is other access to air it might not work), pour baking soda on the flames (you will need a lot, so if not readily accessible you’re probably better off not wasting your time finding it), or use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. I flipped on the fan, as per his suggestion, and while investigating what was smoking (likely a stray piece of macaroni that had landed under the burner during my wild display that somewhat resembles meal preparation) *BAM*. For small fires, you may be able to use baking soda to smother the flames. Either cover the fire with a metal pot lid (if the fire is in a pan, this should work well, but I’m a burner where there is other access to air it might not work), pour baking soda on the flames (you will need a lot, so if not readily accessible you’re probably better off not wasting your time finding it), or use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. If an electric skateboard catches fire or explodes during normal use, this would likely qualify as grounds for a product liability lawsuit unless the user somehow manipulated the battery or failed to adhere to the instructions for use included with the device. Under no circumstances should you use water, as it is a conductor and it may electrocute you. If a grease fire does erupt on your stove, turn off the heat right away. How to Extinguish an Electrical Fire. A Class C chemical fire extinguisher can be used to help put out an electrical fire. Electrical fire safety should be top of your agenda if you move into a rental property. If you want to line the pan, use oven-safe parchment paper. spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors. I have a Kenmore Electric stove/oven with the self cleaning. Everyone should own one. I now think I need to get a fire extinguisher. Loose Connectors This is really dangerous and could lead to a worse fire or possible electric shock. Fire prevention is important and relatively easy, and if you use common sense, you should not have to deal with an electrical fire. The first step in dealing with an electrical fire is, of course, prevention, but in the instance that a fire starts in your home or workplace, you should be prepared to take proper measures. And keeping a canister of baking soda next to the stove might not be a bad idea, either. Because I tend to be prone to boil-overs and other mishaps, I keep a big pot lid or metal pan nearby at all times in case I need to smother some flames. No, no. I have a Kenmore Electric stove/oven with the self cleaning option. What do I do!” (Note: this isn’t actually what you should do.). I rent an old home, and I'm always worried about electrical fires starting spontaneously. If you have a fire in a cooking pan, use an oven mitt to clap on the lid, then move the pan off the burner, and turn off the stove. Flour is a great explosive, apparently, and is a great way to turn bad to worse with a *BOOM*. You’d need a bucket or two of baking soda to smother a grease fire if it’s out of control. Ask yourself, do I need to escape, or are the flames small enough to stay behind and fight? All content ©2015 The Big To-Do List, all rights reserved. Then turn off the power at the electrical panel to prevent the fire from growing. NEVER throw water over it. In general, firefighters will be better equipped to fight a fire that has live electricity in the mix than you will be. UL tests just about every stove that hits the market. Check your fire detectors at least twice a year, and make sure to cut power to and investigate any appliances which start to smoke, smell strange, or run erratically. If you do not have the appropriate type of outlets for your appliances, hire an electrician to install new ones. So, what does one do when you want to know anything nowadays? Doing so only increases the oxygen supply to the oven, which in turn worsens the fire. Water is also a conductor of electricity and will help spread the fire onto other flammable material … Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. When there is an oven coil sparking, the sparks may ignite grease on the element. Have a piece of writing you'd like to share here? If a fire had started on my stove or in my microwave, I would have poured water on it without knowing that it could electrocute me. I feel like I should be more prepared. If one of your appliances goes up in flames, it’s important not to panic. An electrical fire can start small, but spread quickly, especially if the fire is located inside a socket, meaning that the fire can travel through the wall before you are aware of it. Never leave any heat producing appliance such as a stove, heater, or electric blanket on while you are out of the house, and always keep a close eye on heaters, using them at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from furniture and curtains. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Your email address will not be published. If the fire is burning on grease, the water will cause it to splash, spreading the grease and the fire. What does one do when a fire breaks out on your stove top? The baking soda is a good idea too. My cousin lost her whole house because of this type of fire. An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are ways to be prepared in case of an emergency. exciting challenge of being a wiseGEEK researcher and writer. If you cannot deal with the fire, close the door on the way out, and call 000. If you can’t safely put the lid on a flaming pan or you don’t have a lid for the pan, use your fire extinguisher. Call emergency services. Easier said than done, we know. It was on "high", and usually never is, and I foolishly left it unattended while I went to the refrigerator to get an ingredient I forgot. Never use wax paper, which isn't heat-resistant and could melt or catch on fire in the oven. It may sound like a tough call to make, but the decision comes down to some pretty simple logic, Huffman … A small electrical fire can cause your entire home to go up in flames if it isn't stopped rapidly. If one of your appliances goes up in flames, it’s important not to panic. Leave the oven door closed. I'm so glad I read this article. Clearly what is necessary is to scream and flap your arms while exclaiming “What do I do! If an electrical fire starts, you should immediately turn off power to the circuit and the rest of the structure. In most cases you would be right, but that is not always the case. You can also toss baking soda on the fire, which is a better way to treat an electrical fire than closing the door, but it still isn't enough. If the fire looks out of hand, get your family out of the house and call emergency services. If an electrical fire starts, you should immediately turn off power to the circuit and the rest of the structure. "Unless the fire is chasing you around the room, relax," Huffman instructs, "because now is the time to think straight—it's decision time." At this point, you also might wish to call 9-1-1- … Wait for the fire to exhaust itself in your oven. Do not attempt to move the pan, because the burning oil could either spill and burn you or spread the fire throughout the kitchen. The majority of kitchen fire calamities happen because the stove was left unattended. The easiest way to do this is to access the electrical main, cutting power off entirely. In addition, you should cut power to your home so that you can open and inspect outlets periodically: look for frayed wiring or singes that suggest an electrical problem. Never throw water on a grease fire. Sorry for the choppy sentence structure, or whatnot, but a mere 5 minutes ago, as I was attempting to make an omelet, my burner caught on fire. As I was cooking dinner in a daydreaming trance in the kitchen, my hubby brought my attention to the smoke that was streaming up from the burner I was using to massacre some food. Learn how your comment data is processed. Start by never overloading circuits, maintaining appliances and electronics with care, and inspecting your wiring on a regular basis. It only takes minutes for an unattended pot of oil to catch fire, so never turn your back on it! If a fire is developing and you cannot get the electricity turned off or it is growing rapidly, call the fire department. If it is a deep fat fryer: If a pan of food or chip pan catches fire do not attempt to remove from the stove, it could give you terrible burns if incorrectly handled. An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are ways to be prepared in case of an emergency. Fire erupted from underneath the element. A little while ago I had a bit of a kitchen mishap. Make sure that you know where your circuit box is and that it is readily accessible: never cover it or obscure the path to your circuit breaker. The lack of oxygen will stop the flames in a pot. if its too big spray water on it while you all 911 for help. The general recommendation is always to unplug an appliance if you are not using it. Remember that all fires need oxygen to burn, so your best plan of attack is to cut off the oxygen supply to the pan or pot. Sometimes these have very old outlets, and if fully furnished, the equipment may not be in the best shape. After you have cut power to the fire, spray it with a Class C chemical extinguisher or use baking soda to smother it. Frayed or exposed wiring should be replaced to prevent the risk of fire. Firefighters say if this happens, you can use a lid to suffocate the flames, but be careful when placing the lid on the pot. If you do not feel secure inspecting your own wiring, hire a licensed electrician to do it. I'm pretty careful with the appliances, but I'm just concerned about the old wiring in the house. Stove top caught on fire, electric, quick question? Turn off the heat source, and let it cool down where it is. If there is a fire in the oven, turn off the heat source. Tue, 26 Nov 2013 22:37:35 GMT — West Florence Fire Department has responded to 11 cooking fires this year so the department held a live fire demonstration for the media Tuesday with what to do when a pot catches fire in the stove or oven. Today we’ll be sharing with you 5 Common Causes of a Sparking Electric Range. You can find this information here, directly from eHow. The first thing you want to do is unplug the device from the power source and call the fire department. If you have an extinguisher and use that, remember it will contaminate your food and kitchen and should be properly cleaned up. I had the thought of dousing the fire with a pile of flour while I flailed, but luckily, Hubs ran to the rescue and poured a good splash of water from a pot onto the flames, putting out the fire and creating an exquisite soup a la stovetop. It may be counterintuitive, but water can make a grease fire worse. Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet. Instead, reach for that Class C fire extinguisher, which can effectively put out fires that originate around wiring, outlets, appliances and circuit breakers. Follow these simple guidelines to keep your home safe from electrical fires. You ask Google. turn it off (gas stove) and use sand, baking soda or a ABC extinguisher. Follow these simple guidelines to keep your home safe from electrical fires. Electric stoves can overheat and catch on fire, just like any electric appliance or device. One of the most important things to remember is to never pour water onto a grease fire. Kitchen Safety: What Not To Do When Your Stove Catches Fire, a culinary disaster like the previous post. Part of that testing involves ensuring they hit thermal stability. Before restoring power, have a licensed electrician inspect your wiring. NEVER throw water on an electrical fire!! What you should do is use a cookie sheet or a lid "and just slide it over top of it and let it smother itself out," a firefighter told us during a demonstration. These fires also require special measures, because of the unique way in which the fire starts. This article has given me a tremendous amount of great information, much needed after a friend just lost her home to an electrical fire. Make sure to use appliances responsibly to avoid an electrical fire, and follow directions closely. Leave the oven door closed! I realize that it's not feasible for everyone, especially city folks, to let their dogs out when they leave, but I live in a rural area, and I want them to have a chance to escape in case the house catches on fire. Some people say that pouring salt or baking soda over grease fires can put them out, but this works only on small-scale ones. Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the Researching the topic made me realize how little I knew, and the first thing I did was make sure everyone in the house can locate and turn off the circuit breaker. The most common reason any electrical product catches on fire is a short circuit or a large burst of voltage. A sparking electric stove is a bit of a rare occurrence, but when it does happen it’s usually because of one of a few common causes. Ahhh!!! Such a simple thing but I hadn't thought of it before. If a pan of food or chip pan catches fire do not attempt to remove from the stove, it could give you terrible burns if incorrectly handled. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the use of cookies. Do Not Forget to Turn Off Heat Sources A forgotten burner or overheated oven can start a fire long after you are too far away to know or stop it. Glad all turned out to be okay for you, despite the scary situation! If grease catches on fire in your cooking pan, quickly put on the oven mitt, then place the lid over the pan to smother the fire. • Get them down if the person is panicking, you may need to use a leg sweep, but get the person on the ground and the fire … If you’ve ever tried to search for answers online, you probably didn’t come up with very much. The right cause of action is to turn the oven off and keep the oven door completely shut. If it does not go out on its own, leave the house and call 911. I always pay for an electrician to check things over before I sign the lease. Put out the Fire or Spark With Water Never, ever try and put out an electric fire with water. If it's someone else, smother the flames with a wet towel if you have one, a dry one if not, and put the flames out. But keeping calm could prevent flames from engulfing your home. That would kill me, and I don't think I'd ever get over it. Since manufacturers design ovens with fire-control features, you shouldn’t open the oven door during a fire. Use a Class C Fire Extinguisher. If you or someone you love catches fire, do the following: • Stop, drop, and roll if it's you. I heard a heartbreaking story on the news not long ago about a family pet who had perished in a house fire when no one was home. Although this may have worked for the time being, we worried about the flood that had now claimed our stove top and if it would be a hazard with the electrical stove, and wondered what we really should have done to return our surprise fire-cooking burner back to the electrical element we are used to. Even after you call you may be able to get it out yourself, but it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to a fire. If you have an extinguisher and use that, remember it will … Yesterday I was baking a potato casserole and the oven started shooting flames from the bottom. 4. This time, it wasn’t to do as much with a culinary disaster like the previous post, but a slightly more serious affair. You can read more about this here. DO NOT pour water on a (grease) fire. Take action to extinguish said flames? DO NOT pour flour on a fire. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. What to do. A stovetop fire is a bit more dangerous, explains Mancuso. Yikes! As with any fire, if it is growing quickly or looks unsafe, evacuate immediately with household pets and children; leave your belongings behind and never re-enter any type of burning structure until a fire crew says it is safe to do so. The lint on the coils now catches on fire when the dryer is started! In other words, they turn the stove on, and check the temperature of the burner, and keep checking the temperature until it stops increasing — just to make sure the burner doesn't ultimately set the entire stove on fire. Stay focussed and stay by the stove, friends. Required fields are marked *. This photo is from a house in which 4 outlets caught fire and had 2 blown switches (click the image to full-size). Some people think that because of the age of their home, they should be fine and everything should be in great working order. @StarJo – You should definitely get a fire extinguisher. I did know that you never pour water on a fire in the kitchen in case it’s a grease fire. Turn off the oven and allow the fire to burn out on its own. Incidentally, she had no fire extinguisher, and if she had, she might have been able to stop in before it did major damage. From the power source and call emergency services 'm pretty careful with the fire onto other flammable material … emergency... Yourself, do I do n't think I need to get a fire in the oven door during fire. Not be in great working order the use of cookies heat-resistant and melt..., maintaining appliances and electronics with care, and response time from the bottom, use oven-safe parchment.... 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