View Royal fire Lieut. Heath Bevan created an explosive fireball worthy of a Hollywood movie, it was an effective display of why of oil, heat and water donB次元官网网址檛 mix.
A rash of household grease and oil fires over the past few years has spurred View Royal Fire Rescue to remind the public that flaming oil doused with water can have disastrous results.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a frustration for fire departments because this actually a simple type of fire to put out if you have the proper education,B次元官网网址� said Lieut. Rob Marshall. B次元官网网址淏ut if you panic during the situation and pour water onto (the fire) it creates quite an explosive situation.B次元官网网址�
During a media demonstration on Thursday on an outdoor demonstration stove top, Bevan used half a bottle of canola oil in a pot, fired up the stove burner and waited 10 minutes.
At 250 C, the oil started smoking and at 400 C flames danced on the surface of the liquid. In full turnout gear, Bevan poured on a cup of tap water, and a roiling fireball of boiling oil burst from the makeshift stove.
B次元官网网址淭he water molecules expand 1,700 times itself. When you throw one cup of water into the grease, that turns into 1,700 cups of steam,B次元官网网址� Marshall said. B次元官网网址淪o it literally explodes on the inside and throws the flaming grease up into the air.B次元官网网址�
View Royal FD has seen about 12 grease fires in the past few years, including most recently on Jan. 22 in the upper suite of a Helmcken Road home.
The resident placed a pot of fiery oil into the sink, turned on the tap and witnessed a fireball shoot up the wall. The suite was charred enough to be uninhabitable, but the resident and her daughter were lucky to escape unharmed.
B次元官网网址淭he fire last week pushed it for us to get the message out that grease fires are easy to deal with if you deal with them properly,B次元官网网址� Marshall said. B次元官网网址淚f you deal with them in the wrong way, it can be bad.B次元官网网址�
If faced with a oil or grease fire, turn off the stove element or source of heat first, and cover the pan with a metal lid if possible.
Marshall recommends letting the pot cool for at least 30 minutes. DonB次元官网网址檛 move the pot or place it in the sink.
B次元官网网址淎t that point leave it alone. DonB次元官网网址檛 touch it for about half an hour. That oil in there is still above 400 C so a real extreme burn hazard.B次元官网网址�
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
