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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on July 30, 2005, at 22:39:21
People, be very careful about remembering to remove the cardboard bottom off frozen pizzas!
My Mom forgot to and the cardboard caught fire in the oven! The whole house stinks of smoke now. I was quick enough to fan the smoke out so that the fire alarm wouldn't ring.
BTW, what is the best thing to do when the oven catches fire? What about for the toaster oven? For a pot?
My first thought was to turn off the oven and then somehow stop oxygen from going into the oven. There isn't really a way to completely close air off to the oven is there? Thankfully the fire stopped on its own without burning the whole pizza...the pizza was actually still edible!
For a pot fire, one puts the lid on it right? Or use the fire extinguisher? I've never used a fire extinguisher before, but I've used on in my dreams before!
Deneb
Posted by Racer on July 31, 2005, at 1:03:13
In reply to Fire in the oven!, posted by Deneb on July 30, 2005, at 22:39:21
>
> BTW, what is the best thing to do when the oven catches fire? What about for the toaster oven? For a pot?
>
>Well, it always depends on how bad the fire is, but in general the rules are pretty much common sense:
1 When a pot catches fire, first try to put the lid on it. If the fire is too advanced to get that close, of course, a fire extinguisher is probably your best bet.
2. For a grease fire, baking soda is the method of first choice: make sure you use enough. NEVER use water on a grease fire.
3. When my mother used to set the broiler on fire, she'd basically close the broiler and turn off the gas. That usually did the job, but that was long ago and her oven was very different from what's available now.
4. For a fire in the oven, which I've never experienced, I would first turn off the oven, then try to douse it with a pot lid if I could get close enough to do so safely. If not, I'd probably grab some baking soda before grabbing the extinguisher.
By the way, I always keep a big box of baking soda in the kitchen, as well as a fire extinguisher. Aside from their use as safety devices, I used to keep a fire extinguisher next to my bed when I lived in a questionable neighborhood: figured that, if anyone broke in, I could squirt him in the face and slow him down long enough I might be able to get out. And, unlike a gun or baseball bat, it wouldn't look enough like a weapon to be stolen.
For another kitchen funny, though: I was at a friend's house once, and she was trying to feed me up -- anorexic period -- and tried to heat some frozen turnovers. (Pepperidge Farm apple turnovers -- YUM!) She got them in the oven -- only to have the smoke alarms go off a few minutes later. Turned out there was so much dust in her oven that it started burning and set off the alarm!
We laughed about that one for years.
Posted by Damos on July 31, 2005, at 16:55:22
In reply to Fire in the oven!, posted by Deneb on July 30, 2005, at 22:39:21
Hey Deneb,
I did the same thing as your mum many years ago. Boy did I feel stupid. It's just not the same as a 'wood-fired' one.
Racer has given you some pretty good advice. However I would add that for pot and stove top fires a fire blanket is just about the best thing to use as there is no risk of getting burnt trying to put the lid back on and it has the same smothering effect.
I'd also use a fire blanket ahead of a fire extinguishers in most cases of small fires e.g. waste paper basket. I'm a fire warden in our building and have seen what can happen when a fire extinguisher is used wrongly/badly or the wrong type is used.
And always remember oil and water don't mix.
Posted by Deneb on July 31, 2005, at 17:15:33
In reply to Re: Fire in the oven! » Deneb, posted by Damos on July 31, 2005, at 16:55:22
> I'd also use a fire blanket ahead of a fire extinguishers in most cases of small fires e.g. waste paper basket. I'm a fire warden in our building and have seen what can happen when a fire extinguisher is used wrongly/badly or the wrong type is used.
Where would I get a fire blanket?
> And always remember oil and water don't mix.Do candles and water mix? Once I remember I was playing with a candle and some paper in my room, the fire got a little big and I put water on it, but it created a small fireball...very scary!
I'm going to stick with snuffing out candles!
My Dad says that oil fires can be put out by pouring cold oil onto it. Is this true? My Dad says he does this all the time in the restaurant where he works.
Deneb
Posted by Damos on July 31, 2005, at 17:29:14
In reply to Re: Fire in the oven! » Damos, posted by Deneb on July 31, 2005, at 17:15:33
You can get a fire blanket at pretty much any hardware store even some supermarkets have them these days.
Hmmmm, I'd stick to snuffing out candles as wax has a lot of fat in it which is very similar to greese/oil.
Well, I've never heard of the cold oil thing, but around the home I'd still go for the blanket - why risk it.
Posted by Deneb on July 31, 2005, at 18:48:07
In reply to Re: Fire in the oven! » Deneb, posted by Damos on July 31, 2005, at 17:29:14
> You can get a fire blanket at pretty much any hardware store even some supermarkets have them these days.
Thanks Damos. I'm putting "get a fire blanket" on my "to do list."
This is the end of the thread.
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