Forums · Oil fire on stove
I wasn't going to post this as to be honest I'm a bit embarrased by not being more careful. But I decided maybe by sharing it might help another avoid a potential disaster by not doing the same thing. ![[Sigh]](graemlins/ohwell.gif)
Around 8:00pm yesterday I had a hankering for home-made french fries, to add to the chicken ceasar salad wrap I was making.
Our deep fryer was in need of an oil change and I just wasn't feeling like cleaning it out and reloading etc, so I opted to deep fry the old fashioned way. Nothing like home-made fries in fresh clean oil. =) When the oil was about ready the thought I might have put a wee bit too much oil in the pan (a deep fry pan sides are almost 3 inches) crossed my mind. So I opted to just put in a cpl bigger fingers to test. Seemed fine but only added 3 more to not push it. Fingers all done (3 batches) and staying warm in the toaster oven, I moved on to the fries. I tried to ensure the water from blanching the taters was patted off but it still sizzled good anyway. First batch went off w/o a hitch. But when I put the 2nd batch in things turned for the worse.
I was using a large metal flat spoon thingy (with holes) to place a small bit in at a time. However this time instead of putting it in the middle of the pan as I did before I put it near the side. Dumb move.![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
As I turned to go towel the next spoon full a little voice said turn around. The oil was bubbling over and going down the sides of the pan, I knew it would be burst into flames at any moment. My son and g/f had just walked into the kitchen so I had him help slide the pan to the next element. Just as he started sliding it the element burst into flames. Thank God the oil in the pan itself didn't catch fire or we would have been in big trouble.
I grabbed the fire extinguisher from under the sink, it took a few shots to get the flames all out. Talk about smoke, oh boy, the kitchen was filled, we opened every door and window but it took awhile to clear the air. Luckily no damage done. It happened so fast, have to say I'm surprised I stayed calm during all of it.
Not a week ago while getting dish soap I decided to remove the plastic wrap off the extinguisher. I bought it a few months back but for whatever reason never removed the shrink-wrap. It's the point and spray kind (like a paint spray can) very handy. I recall thinking if we ever need to use this fumbling to get the plastic off would cost time, glad I did. Who would of thought not a week later I would actually have to use it.
Morale of the story is, don't put too much oil in the pan when deep frying, don't ever turn your back on the pan nor leave the room for even a second, and always have an extinguisher at the ready just in case.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
[ May 05, 2006, 06:51 PM: Message edited by: Cat ]
Around 8:00pm yesterday I had a hankering for home-made french fries, to add to the chicken ceasar salad wrap I was making.
Our deep fryer was in need of an oil change and I just wasn't feeling like cleaning it out and reloading etc, so I opted to deep fry the old fashioned way. Nothing like home-made fries in fresh clean oil. =) When the oil was about ready the thought I might have put a wee bit too much oil in the pan (a deep fry pan sides are almost 3 inches) crossed my mind. So I opted to just put in a cpl bigger fingers to test. Seemed fine but only added 3 more to not push it. Fingers all done (3 batches) and staying warm in the toaster oven, I moved on to the fries. I tried to ensure the water from blanching the taters was patted off but it still sizzled good anyway. First batch went off w/o a hitch. But when I put the 2nd batch in things turned for the worse.
I was using a large metal flat spoon thingy (with holes) to place a small bit in at a time. However this time instead of putting it in the middle of the pan as I did before I put it near the side. Dumb move.
As I turned to go towel the next spoon full a little voice said turn around. The oil was bubbling over and going down the sides of the pan, I knew it would be burst into flames at any moment. My son and g/f had just walked into the kitchen so I had him help slide the pan to the next element. Just as he started sliding it the element burst into flames. Thank God the oil in the pan itself didn't catch fire or we would have been in big trouble. I grabbed the fire extinguisher from under the sink, it took a few shots to get the flames all out. Talk about smoke, oh boy, the kitchen was filled, we opened every door and window but it took awhile to clear the air. Luckily no damage done. It happened so fast, have to say I'm surprised I stayed calm during all of it.
Not a week ago while getting dish soap I decided to remove the plastic wrap off the extinguisher. I bought it a few months back but for whatever reason never removed the shrink-wrap. It's the point and spray kind (like a paint spray can) very handy. I recall thinking if we ever need to use this fumbling to get the plastic off would cost time, glad I did. Who would of thought not a week later I would actually have to use it.
Morale of the story is, don't put too much oil in the pan when deep frying, don't ever turn your back on the pan nor leave the room for even a second, and always have an extinguisher at the ready just in case.
[ May 05, 2006, 06:51 PM: Message edited by: Cat ]
Eeeek! That was scary! It's a good thing your son happened by right then to help you and the fire extinguisher was handy. I keep one in my pantry, close to the stove, just in case and due to your story I just checked to make sure it could be used quickly. It can, it has a plastic separator in the handle, to keep the handle from being pressed, that can be quickly pulled out if needed.
Post's like these always get me checking things. They're the sort of things you really don't think about until somebody mentions them. A few years back we had a member post that the dust and grunge under her refrigerator started smoldering. That night I had my fridge pulled out and vacuumed all the cat hair, dog hair and dust from underneath it, and there was a ton!
[ May 08, 2006, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Renee ]
Post's like these always get me checking things. They're the sort of things you really don't think about until somebody mentions them. A few years back we had a member post that the dust and grunge under her refrigerator started smoldering. That night I had my fridge pulled out and vacuumed all the cat hair, dog hair and dust from underneath it, and there was a ton!
[ May 08, 2006, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Renee ]
Ya it was lucky, I think having my son walk into the kitchen right then helped my staying calm. They were asking what I was doing with the potatoes (why they were sitting in water like that), good thing otherwise they would have just walked on through. Hmm glad you noted about the under the fridge thing. With cats their hair does like to collect under things you can't get under without moving it like the fridge. Makes sense it could start to smoulder if you have a loose wire or something, or if hair/debris/lint gets caught up in the fans. Will be getting hubby to pull the fridge out tonight to give it a good cleaning. We do that now and then but going to start doing it more after hearing this. If I could move that sucker on my own I'd be under there all the time. LOL Thanks for the heads up. =)