Many households and catering establishments cook with fat on a daily basis, and the potential danger of a fat fire is often underestimated. But what is a grease fire and how does it start?
How does a grease fire occur?
A grease fire occurs when oils or fats are heated above their burning or smoke points during cooking. The high temperatures cause the fat to vaporize and ignite in combination with oxygen.
Unfortunately, people often try to extinguish a fat fire with water. However, this leads to a dangerous fat explosion.
Fat explosion in detail
Burning fat or oil is hotter than boiling water. Consequently, any water added as an "extinguishing attempt" evaporates abruptly. The burning fat is torn out of the pan with the steam, mixes with oxygen and is atomized into very fine droplets. One liter of water, for example, produces around 1700 liters of steam. The result is deflagration - also known as deflagration - and a mushroom-like column of fire that sets the entire kitchen on fire within seconds.
It is therefore important never to extinguish a grease fire with water!
In addition, grease fires can occur not only in pans or deep fryers, but also in extractor hoods, for example.
Extinguish grease fires effectively
Internalize how to extinguish a grease fire safely. Safety in the kitchen is paramount, and knowing the dangers of grease fires can save lives.
Find out more about effectively extinguishing a grease fire here.
Familiarize yourself with the correct procedures so that you can react appropriately in an emergency and minimize the danger. The following preventive measures are recommended:
- Only use fresh fat or oil
- Never allow fat to overheat, use automatic temperature controls, e.g. for deep fryers
- Do not continue to use defective appliances
- Always have a pan or pot lid to hand to prevent the supply of oxygen
- Clean extractor hoods and grease filters regularly
