By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent

Year in and year out cooking is among the leading causes of structural fires to which fire departments across the state respond, according to statistics from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

In fact, cooking was the cause of 48 percent of structure fires across the state in 2008; and 45 percent of structure fires in 2007, according to the State Fire Marshal’s Annual Report.

In the last three weeks, the Savage Fire Department has been called to three grease fires. One of the calls resulted in burn injuries to two people living in a home in the 5400 block of 133rd Street on June 21.

The other two grease fires – which occurred last week in the 13200 block of Natchez Avenue and the 7400 block of 144th Street – none of the people in the homes were hurt.

“Grease fires can be very dangerous, especially in the kitchen,” said Fire Chief Joel McColl. “When a grease fire starts, the initial reaction might be to throw water on it, but that is one thing people do not want to do.”

In fact, putting water on a grease fire can cause an explosive force of steam that can blow the burning oil up and out of the pan or pot causing devastating results to both people and property, McColl said. Since water is heavier than oil, it sinks to the bottom where it instantly becomes superheated causing an explosive force of the steam, that in turn, blows the burning oil up and out potentially causing injuries and damage to homes.

If water is added to a turkey fryer outside, the explosion can result in a 30-foot high fireball, McColl said. In the confines of the kitchen, the fire ball hits the ceiling and can fill the entire room.

People should never throw sugar or flour on a grease fire, either, McColl said. One cup of either can create the explosive force equal to two sticks of dynamite.

Recent incidents

When firefighters were called to the grease fire in the 5400 block of 133rd Street on June 21, two people were injured attempting to extinguish the fire, McColl said.

The fire started in a hot pan on the stove full of oil, he said. When a woman saw the flames coming from the pan, she attempted to transport it from the stove to the sink, and in the process received minor burns to her left hand, wrist and leg as the oil spilled over the pan.

When the woman put the pan in the sink it was still flaming, McColl said. The woman’s husband came into the room and turned the water on it, as the pan was under the sink. When he put water on the grease fire it flared up and the man received burns to his right hand, arm and forehead.

The couple then called 911 and went to get the fire extinguisher, McColl said. The fire was out prior to the arrival of firefighters, but the estimated damage to the home was still about $10,000.

On July 7, firefighters responded to a kitchen fire in the 13200 block of Natchez Avenue.

This fire was very similar to the fire on 133rd Street, McColl said. The fire started with oil in a pan on the stove that was covered. When the person removed the cover to put the food in, the oil flashed and ignited into flames about 4-feet high.

The woman removed the pan from the stove and took it outside and placed it on the deck, McColl said. In this case, it is estimated that between $5,000 and $10,000 in damage was done to the home.

“If she would have covered the pan in place and turned off the fire on the stove, it would have extinguished it self due to the lack of oxygen,” McColl said.

There was no “fire damage” in either case, McColl said. But there was scorch and smoke damages in the kitchens of both homes.

In the third case, firefighters were called to a possible oven fire in the 7400 block of West 144th Street on July 9. That fire was also out upon firefighters’ arrival.

This call was the result of a self-cleaning oven that was on fire.

“We see this a lot,” McColl said; noting that firefighters responded to about 10 possible oven fires in the last year. “People see flames in the window of the oven box that starts producing copious amounts of smoke in self-cleaning mode and occupants believe the oven is on fire.”

In this case, the woman called 911 and left the home, which is the correct thing to do, McColl said.

In the event of possible oven fires on self-cleaning mode, firefighters have seen people use a crow bar to pry open the oven to extinguish the fire, McColl said. When in all reality – if the occupants had read and followed the manufactures recommended guidelines to cleaning an oven – most of these calls would be preventable.

When an oven is in self-cleaning mode, the door locks and the oven reaches temperatures of about 750 degrees, McColl said. The oven door will not open until it cools down to a safe temperature.

As this happens, the grease at the bottom of the oven often ignites, McColl said. People need to remember to wipe out the interior of the oven prior to placing it in self-cleaning mode.

“In most cases, wiping out the oven prior to putting it in self-cleaning mode will avert a flame up,” McColl said. “If you do have an oven on fire, and it is safe to do so, unplug the oven and call 911.”

Safety tips

So what should people do if there is a grease fire?

In the event of a grease fire, people should first call 911, then turn off the burner and cover the pot with a wet dishcloth or a lid that fits properly, if it is safe to do so, and let it cool down, McColl said. A dry chemical fire extinguisher can also be used.

In the event of an oven fire on self-cleaning mode, McColl said if a person follows the guidelines in the appliance manual there shouldn’t be a problem, but if there is call 911.

Other tips to prevent kitchen fires are to never overheat the oil, stay in attendance of heating oil and set a timer in the case that a person gets busy while cooking, McColl said.

If a person is burned in a grease fire, flush copious amounts of water on it to cool the burn from beneath the skin, McColl said.

“I am happy to report that we don’t have many burn injuries in our city,” McColl said; noting that the two burns in the grease fire on June 21 were the only two burn injuries in the last year.

Last year, firefighters responded to more than 400 calls for service.

“‘If it’s predictable, it’s preventable,’” McColl said, quoting Scott County Risk Manager Gordon Graham. “Many of the 400 calls for service last year were preventable by paying attention and following recommended guidelines no matter what they are for.”

 Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at shogendorf@swpub.com.