Warning, outdated Grease fire video sends dangerous message

1999 United Kingdom Kitchen Grease Fire Video makes the rounds on the internet

In 1999 the United Kingdom Fire Brigade produced a “Chip Pan Fire” (Grease Fire) video as part of a campaign to prevent the astronomical amount of fatal and injury causing “Chip Pan Fires” (Grease fires) in the United Kingdom. Deep frying chips (French fires) in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe was and still is common. Due to the internet and web sites like YouTube this video circulates through e-mails, facebook, and other web communicates every couple of months. The video is still viewed and forwarded very frequently. The 35 second video depicts an outdated and unorthodox manner of extinguishing a grease fire. In the video, a firefighter, in fire fighting gear, is shown using a damp dish towel (also know as a tea cloth) to extinguish a grease fire in a pan on the stove. The video is narrated by a burn victim that was terribly burned by a by a chip pan fire. The UK and other fire brigades in Europe have made efforts to prevent people from practicing this outdated method used in the video. Because the video is narrated by an actual burn victim and shows how dramatic throwing water on a grease fire is the video is still quite popular. There are even some North American web sites that host the video and endorse the practices in the video.

If you receive this video DO NOT forward it to anyone. It is outdated and sends a mixed message and contradicts the main message the fire service in North American want to convey.

When you are looking up any kind of information on the internet make sure you know the source of the information and the date it was posted. In this case the information is extremely outdated and dangerous and the information is over ten years old.

The proper method of extinguishing a grease fire is to simply, "Put a lid on it!"

Put a lid on grease fires When a grease fire occurs on your stove stop put a lid on it by sliding it across the top of the pot or pan. This will smother the fire. Always have an oven mitt and the proper fitting lid for the pan you are using to heat grease. If you don't have a lid that fits the pan you are using, a flat baking sheet that will cover the entire pan may be substituted. When the pan is covered, turn off the heat to the burner. Do not uncover the pan until it has cooled for at least 15 minutes.

NEVER USE:

Water: It will explode on contact with grease causing painful and severe burns and fire spread.

Sugar: Will burn and make the fire larger.

Flour: Explodes!

A damp cloth: The level of danger in using a damp cloth depends on the amount of water in the cloth. Water from the cloth can contact the grease and cause an explosion. Water in the cloth can heat up and cause steam burns. The cloth can catch on fire and cause a burn injury and fire spread.

Special Note: Using Baking Soda was an old practice. Studies found most people panicked and did not remember which white substance in their kitchen smothered the fire.

Grease Fire Prevention and Safety Tips Never leave cooking unattended and do not use a high setting on the stove to heat grease. Watch what you heat!

Read the instructions, safety, and warning labels on all oils. Some oils, like peanut oil have low ignition temperature and will catch on fire if high heat is used.

Should a grease fire occur, don't panic. If you believe your safety is in jeopardy, evacuate the house and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's home or cell phone.

If you think that fire may have spread to the cabinets or to the range exhaust hood, call 9-1-1 and allow trained firefighters to investigate to make sure no fire remains.

Have a charged and operational ABC fire extinguisher easily accessible. Place the fire extinguisher near an exit out of your kitchen. Since most house fires are caused by unattended cooking on the stove top you want to make sure your fire extinguisher in an area that is accessible. You do note want to cross the potential path of a fire to get your extinguisher that could leave you possibly trapped.

4-6-2011

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