Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries. A simple grease fire can escalate quickly, spreading to surrounding cabinets and engulfing the kitchen or the entire house. Help protect your home, your loved ones and your belongings with these tips for putting out a grease fire:
- Never use water to extinguish a grease or oil fire. Instead use a multipurpose fire extinguisher.
- If grease or cooking oil catches fire, immediately slide a lid over the pan to smother the flame. Be sure to wear an oven mitt when handling the pan.
- Next, turn off the heat and slide the pan off the burner. To prevent the fire from restarting, keep the pan covered until the contents cool.
- If the pan overflows and the contents ignite, get everyone out of the house and call the fire department once you’re safely outside.
If you’d be putting yourself at risk trying to fight a fire, leave the area immediately. You should already have a family fire escape plan in place, so don’t hesitate to use it if there’s any question about your safety. After all, your life is irreplaceable. Your insurance; however, can help you rebuild your home and replace your belongings.