NEVER throw water on an electrical fire!! No, no. 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. The easiest way to do this is to access the electrical main, cutting power off entirely. Start by never overloading circuits, maintaining appliances and electronics with care, and inspecting your wiring on a regular basis. What does one do when a fire breaks out on your stove top? Take action to extinguish said flames? 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. Then turn off the power at the electrical panel to prevent the fire from growing. One of the most important things to remember is to never pour water onto a grease fire. All content ©2015 The Big To-Do List, all rights reserved. These fires also require special measures, because of the unique way in which the fire starts. 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 think that because of the age of their home, they should be fine and everything should be in great working order. Loose Connectors At this point, you also might wish to call 9-1-1- … Wikibuy Review: A Free Tool That Saves You Time and Money, 15 Creative Ways to Save Money That Actually Work. 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. And keeping a canister of baking soda next to the stove might not be a bad idea, either. If you cannot deal with the fire, close the door on the way out, and call 000. @StarJo – You should definitely get a fire extinguisher. The lint on the coils now catches on fire when the dryer is started! I now think I need to get a fire extinguisher. 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. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Use a Class C Fire Extinguisher. Leave the oven door closed! turn it off (gas stove) and use sand, baking soda or a ABC extinguisher. Electric stoves can overheat and catch on fire, just like any electric appliance or device. It may sound like a tough call to make, but the decision comes down to some pretty simple logic, Huffman … For small fires, you may be able to use baking soda to smother the flames. If a fire is developing and you cannot get the electricity turned off or it is growing rapidly, call the fire department. NEVER throw water over it. If you have an extinguisher and use that, remember it will contaminate your food and kitchen and should be properly cleaned up. 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. Firefighters say if this happens, you can use a lid to suffocate the flames, but be careful when placing the lid on the pot. How to Extinguish an Electrical Fire. 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. Everyone should own one. 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. 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*. 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. Yikes! I always pay for an electrician to check things over before I sign the lease. If a grease fire does erupt on your stove, turn off the heat right away. 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. The most common reason any electrical product catches on fire is a short circuit or a large burst of voltage. Make sure to use appliances responsibly to avoid an electrical fire, and follow directions closely. If an electrical fire starts, you should immediately turn off power to the circuit and the rest of the structure. You’d need a bucket or two of baking soda to smother a grease fire if it’s out of control. 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. 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. ! Stove top caught on fire, electric, quick question? Do not attempt to move the pan, because the burning oil could either spill and burn you or spread the fire throughout the kitchen. 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. A small electrical fire can cause your entire home to go up in flames if it isn't stopped rapidly. "Unless the fire is chasing you around the room, relax," Huffman instructs, "because now is the time to think straight—it's decision time." I also keep an extinguisher under the sink. You ask Google. If you want to line the pan, use oven-safe parchment paper. Instead, reach for that Class C fire extinguisher, which can effectively put out fires that originate around wiring, outlets, appliances and circuit breakers. The baking soda is a good idea too. So, what does one do when you want to know anything nowadays? 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. This photo is from a house in which 4 outlets caught fire and had 2 blown switches (click the image to full-size). 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. If the fire looks out of hand, get your family out of the house and call emergency services. A little while ago I had a bit of a kitchen mishap. 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. Under no circumstances should you use water, as it is a conductor and it may electrocute you. If you have an extinguisher and use that, remember it will … This is really dangerous and could lead to a worse fire or possible electric shock. Since manufacturers design ovens with fire-control features, you shouldn’t open the oven door during a fire. Turn off the oven and allow the fire to burn out on its own. You can read more about this here. An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are ways to be prepared in case of an emergency. If you do not feel secure inspecting your own wiring, hire a licensed electrician to do it. The saucepan of oil on the stove catches fire? If you or someone you love catches fire, do the following: • Stop, drop, and roll if it's you. Our oven blew a burner and burned until we hit it with fire extinguisher. What to do. 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. I did know that you never pour water on a fire in the kitchen in case it’s a grease fire. Ahhh!!! I live out in the country, and response time from the fire department can be slower than in the city. Never use wax paper, which isn't heat-resistant and could melt or catch on fire in the oven. Call emergency services. The majority of kitchen fire calamities happen because the stove was left unattended. DO NOT pour flour on a fire. If there is a fire in the oven, turn off the heat source. Yesterday I was baking a potato casserole and the oven started shooting flames from the bottom. Today we’ll be sharing with you 5 Common Causes of a Sparking Electric Range. I'm so glad I read this article. Frayed or exposed wiring should be replaced to prevent the risk of fire. Apply this method only on really small, smoking grease splatters. UL tests just about every stove that hits the market. Required fields are marked *. 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 only takes minutes for an unattended pot of oil to catch fire, so never turn your back on it! Some people say that pouring salt or baking soda over grease fires can put them out, but this works only on small-scale ones. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure. 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