We never fry food, and we also have a fire extinguisher in our kitchen, so grease fires aren’t a potential danger for us. But I saw a safety demonstration like this at work years ago, and it was something I’ll never forget.
Do you ever deep fry foods? Have you ever had a grease fire?
June 8, 2015
One of my more FORTUNATE traits that I have little time for idiots. You know: People who climb a wobbly chair instead of getting the ladder out etc. The list is endless. Cut corners now, spend enormous amount of time in A&E (accidents and emergencies) later. Mourn singed eyebrows and worse. Well, didn’t your mother teach you anything? Or your father for that matter.
Water on boiling oil? How stupid does anyone have to be? Do people actually sleep through the most elemental physics lessons, flick the off switch to common sense?
In answer to your question: I am no friend of deep frying. But when I do – once in a blue moon and for good reason – I make sure that all wildlife (cats, dogs and small children) is occupied otherwise, out of the way and nowhere near the cauldron. As to a true flash in the pan – and this is so Seventies’ “fine” dining: Flambeed bananas. Otherwise join the circus.
U
Have you never been an idiot? I assume that your life is going well again? If so, that’s great.
Indian food will be miserable without deep fried stuff on a regular basis. And every one knows what needs to be done in case of a fire. Generations of sitting on the floor and cooking has taught our womenfolk simple methods.
I have a dry fire extinguisher mounted on the wall just before entering the kitchen from the dining area. We have never had to use it and I hope that we do not ever.
I had heard baking soda or putting a lid over the fire, but now I think the fire extinguisher on the wall would be a lot quicker. Not that I ever expect to have a fire.
We seldom have fried food, but when we do, it’s usually when we go out.
However, still have scars on my hand from picking up a flaming frying pan and tossing it out side. Some of the hot oil spilled on my hand. That was when I was 25 years old. The reason I remember that is because we only lived in that apartment for 6 months in 1977.
Unless one has been prepared, it’s hard to know what to do. I severely blistered some fingers once when the lid fell off a to water kettle. I didn’t want to drop it and get scalded with hot water, so I ran over to the stove to put it down. Not the best move. Stem is a lot worse than hot water. My fingers did recover, and I learned a great lesson.
I’m at work so I’ll have to watch video later at home.
I vaguely remember having a fire in my broiler as hamburger fat ignited it.
Now I’m not sure what I did but I do recall lots of flames.
I think I dumped Morton salt on it and shut the door of stove so as not to feed it more oxygen…. But it’s been years.
I never used the broiler again and I only eat chicken now so…
And I hate to cook, so no real worries of grease fires for me but thank you for this post!
Xo
I had heard baking soda instead of salt, but I imagine they work the same way. Closing the door and depriving the fire of oxygen is the most effective. I’m not sure I would put a lid on a fire on the stove because I wouldn’t want to let my hands get that close. Unless I had a big enough lid or baking sheet to protect me. I’m clearly not the hero type!
I used to have a big box of baking soda by the stove at all times, so I’d have something to throw on any fire. But lately we fry so little food that I’ve been leaving the baking soda in the pantry –and the fire extinguisher around the corner from the kitchen. Maybe I’ll bring out the baking soda again…
I think those of us who don’t fry should be safe. We mostly microwave plus I occasionally cook something in water over my one electric hot plate. I had the gas to my stove shut off because it wasn’t vented to the outside, and I was having trouble with fumes.
HOLY MOLY!
know. i don’t fry anything.
well. i do saute onions and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil.
but i’ve also always heard you never put water on a grease fire.
seeing it at that level in the video though is frightening.
i love your hot plate idea. i’ve often thought that’s all i’d like to have.
i have a tiny electric stove in this apartment.
I figured most people here didn’t do deep frying, but the demonstration was too good not to share.
i haven’t deep fried for years – at one in my life – it was deep fried chips at least 6 nights of the week – i don’t know how many chip pans & baskets i went through but as soon as the build up refused to move on a wash up – a new was bought. funny thing though ex-dh still eats fries but he buys oven type! [because he has to do his own cooking….]
We don’t use them, but oven fries are a great invention. Andy likes plain food, so I don’t do much cooking.