Whoops set the kitchen on fire
By saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
Canada
June 18, 2009 11:48pm CST
Tonight i decided i wanted macaroni. I put the pot on the stove not really thinking about what i had ment to clean up after the burner cooled last night. turned the burner on to boil and started putting dishes away.
About 5 minutes later I was done putting the dishes away i check the pot to see if its boiling turn to step away and WOOSH the burner around my pot bursts into flames.
Well i grabbed my pot grabbed some salt and started shaking it on there. I know enough to know that you shouldnt pour water on a electric fire....or an oil fire...and i had spilled veggie oil on the burner the night before.
The salt didnt really help so i grabbed a slightly damp (from drying dishes) towel and started beating the burner. That worked
My house so smokey i had to open the windows and turn on the fans.
What would you do to put out a fire? Have you ever caught your kitchen on fire? this was a first for me!
3 people like this
9 responses
@Guitarpunk (738)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I would smother the fire with something heavy like a carpet. When I was in the second grade, we took a field trip to a fire station.We got all kinds of safety tips and we learned the best way to put out oil fires is by smothering them.
2 people like this
@Guitarpunk (738)
• United States
19 Jun 09
Well, it's hard to remember all that when you're kitchen is gonna burn down in a few minutes.
2 people like this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
20 Jun 09
I've done stuff like that before, and my husband once set his entire kitchen on fire (cupboards, curtains, stove, poof!!!!). That was before he met me, Thank God. LOL
When we lived in Arizona, I set the stove on fire, making some jalepino pepper poppers. I pulled the frying pan off the stove, reached over and turned off the burner, and reached under the stove for another frying pan, which I put upside down over the burner to smoother the flames. I also called 911, because i wasn't sure if something was wrong with the stove, or not. They came, checked it out, told me it was fine, and that I'd done the right thing.
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
22 Jun 09
Smart thinking I wouldnt have thought of the frying pan to smother it...or the lid someone else suggested.
Does 911 or the fire dept charge there if they have to come visit your house? I know here (small town) the fire dept sends a bill for the visit. my dad got one once when the neighbour set his bale wagon on fire and they came out with NO WATER in the tank so they couldnt even put out the fire. My dad refused to pay it because they didnt do anything they came found out there was no water by that time the neighbour had put the bale wagon into the swamp water and it was almost out without them. The RM guy in charge of the billing when he found out there was no water in the truck canceled the bill.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
20 Jun 09
I have a small fire extinguisher under my kitchen sink.
I try to avoid fires in my kitchen, though have had 2 of them. I used baking soda on the first and the fire extinguisher on the 2nd.
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
22 Jun 09
I should have fire extinguisher..theres an old (expired im sure) one that has been by the door since my grandparents lived in this house and thats been well over 9 years and it was there a good 5 years before that. I'd be scared to try it incase it exploded or shot green goo!
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
19 Jun 09
It happens every now and then...I haven't started a fire in the kitchen since I was 16 and it was a grease fire...I totally freaked out. I have burned some food but not actual fires. Be happy that your whole kitchen wasn't torched.
[b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]
2 people like this
@dltaylor (15)
• United States
20 Jun 09
Goodness! I'm glad it didn't get out of control!
I set my toaster oven on fire once. Just a small one... I put a bratwurst in there on the bare rack, like an idiot, instead of using the little baking pan that is provided for such things lol. The grease dripped down into the heating coil and flared up when I opened the door to the oven. D: I panicked and blew really hard and it went out!
I'll never do that again! :P
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (161080)
• United States
22 Jun 09
The only other thing I might have done would have been to put a pot lid over it to cut out the oxygen. I once put some oil on to heat, to fry some tortillas for quesadillas, I thought. I wanted it to hurry up, so I put the lid on, then forgot it and did something else. Remembered, lifted the lid and the superheated oil burst into flames. Like you, my salt was not sufficient to put out the fire. I grabbed my kitchen fire extinguisher and put it out. I also got a new stove out of it, which was okay. I did not like that one and it needed to be replaced. I do not fry things, and now you see why.
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
20 Jun 09
Hey saundyl! I sure have had some kitchen fires! And I think
that you reacted quite well! I get so flustered and confused
as to what you should do for which types of fires! I have
gas burners, but I forget what you need to do for which types
of fires! So I think you did better than I would do and have
done! I am always ready to throw water even when I know that
it is inappropriate! I have set many towels on fire that's for
sure! The worst thing is that I get paralyzed with panic and
don't know what to do first! And then most of the time I also
burn myself too which doesn't help matters! I have had to take
myself by cab to the hospital many times with 2nd degree burns!
Don't ask!
1 person likes this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
22 Jun 09
Wow sounds like you have troubles sometimes! I can honestly say i stuck a list in my cupboard that i found online of what can be used to put out what fire on friday after i had my fire. Now if i get paniced all i gotta do is...well remember the paper is taped to the inside of the cupboard door.
@hanasays (212)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I've never set the kitchen on fire, but my uncle has. Dealing with it usually depends on if it's a grease fire, electrical fire, etc. but I've noticed that dumping a bunch of baking soda on it usually works.
One time, he started one on a flat-top electric stove. I don't even know how he managed that one. I guess he's just really good at accidentally setting things on fire.
2 people like this
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
19 Jun 09
I think I'm going to have to look up the ways tomorrow. Baking soda - i had that right above the stove and i reached for the salt!
My sister is good at setting things on fire when she cooks. Her husband got her a fire extinguisher when they got their house!
1 person likes this
