Chip Pan Fire Extinguishers – Safely Tackling Cooking Oil Fires

With the potential to spread at a dangerous pace, cooking oil fires need the correct equipment to extinguish them. This means using specialised chip pan fire extinguishers. 

Using the wrong type of extinguisher in a deep fat fryer fire can have disastrous consequences, particularly in commercial kitchens. With risk of injury from oil fires being high, it’s essential to have the right equipment.

Wet chemical fire extinguishers are the only type of extinguisher that should be used on cooking oil fires (Class F Fires). The chemical solution in this type of extinguisher reacts with the burning oil to create a non flammable soap.

Water should never be used on this type of fire, as it will cause the blaze to worsen rapidly and may cause serious injury to bystanders.

What Happens During a Chip Pan Fire?

There are two main causes of a chip pan fire. Either the temperature in the pan gets too hot, too quickly and the oil overheats. Or, oil bubbles and overflows onto the cooker surface which happens when the pan is too full.

The problem with a deep fat fryer fire is that it involves incredibly hot temperatures. The ignition point of cooking oil is between 400 and 435 degrees. In a commercial kitchen, oil fires can also involve high volumes of burning oil.

The volatile nature of the fuel and high temperatures mean an oil or grease fire must be tackled in a very specific way. It is for this reason that oil and grease fires have their own fire class – F.

The wrong equipment can make a hazardous situation become out of control very quickly. It is important to understand a little about chip pan fires, in order to see how they behave.

Once the oil in a pan or fryer reaches ignition point, a fire will start. Often, pans are heated up too quickly which results in a fire breaking out. Other times, there will be too much liquid in the pan so when something such as chips is added, the hot oil spills over.

Chip pan fires, like other types of blaze, need 3 elements to cause ignition. In their case, these are heat, oxygen and oil or grease. It is these sources that need to be tackled to safely put them out and this means choosing a suitable extinguisher.

How Many Chip Pan Fires Happen Each Year?

Chip pan fires are one of the most common fires here in the UK. According to Wikipedia, there are around 12,000 domestic chip pan fires every year.

With so many food businesses operating these days it is safe to assume this is a serious fire risk in most commercial kitchens.

From mobile catering businesses to big restaurant chains, all kitchens and must ensure they have a chip pan fire extinguisher.

Chip Pan Fire Extinguishers – Wet Chemical

Wet chemical fire extinguishers are suitable for chip pan fires and all commercial kitchens should have one. They are the only equipment that can be used safely on hot oil fires.

Also known as Class F fire extinguishers, wet chemical extinguishers are designed for use in professional kitchens.

With chip pan fires and grease fires so common, every kitchen should have one to hand as part of health and safety protocols. They can be used safely on Class A fires and in some cases, even Class B fires.

You can identify a wet chemical fire extinguisher by looking for its yellow label with the large letters ‘WET CHEMICAL’ on it. The hose is also longer than on other types of extinguishers.

See Also: Identifying Fire Exitinguisher Colour – a guide on extinguisher labels for different fire types and classes.

How Wet Chemical Extinguishers Put Out Oil Fires

The potassium solution in wet chemical extinguishers tackles the fire quickly and efficiently when caught in time.

The extinguisher contains both potassium bicarbonate and potassium citrate which is then mixed with potassium acetate.

This solution rapidly gets to work by tackling the oxygen part of the fire when the foam settles on the flames. Wet chemical extinguishers also release a mist that tackles the heat part of the fire triangle.

The long nozzle and mist help reduce the risk of splashbacks caused by the hot burning oil. This means you remain as safe as possible while tackling the blaze. Any fire that has spread out of control should be left to the professionals.

Using Fire Blankets on Oil Fires

Fire blankets can be effective against chip pan fires that are on a smaller scale.

To be successful in diminishing the fire, the blanket must cover the entire circumference of the pan. If the fire has spread beyond the chip pan, then using a fire blanket will be both inefficient and dangerous.

In the event you can catch the fire quickly, then putting the lid on the pan is often enough to put it out. A metal baking tray or similar will work too, as long as the pan is fully enclosed.

Never attempt to use a fire blanket on a burning chip pan fire that has gained too much momentum. Instead, use a wet chemical extinguisher or call the fire brigade.

How to Put Out a Chip Pan Fire

Your main priority when putting out a chip pan fire is keeping yourself and those around you safe.

1. Turn Off The Heat

Turning off the heat should always be your first move, providing it is safe to do so.

You should not put yourself or anyone else at risk in doing so though. It should be safe to turn off if the fire is still small and contained.

2. Call 999 If Necessary

If the fire has spread beyond your control or you do not have the correct extinguisher, then call the fire brigade.

You should never attempt to put out a fire that has spread or is large. Chip pan fires can spread very quickly if the oil spills over onto the surface.

3. Ensure The Escape Route Is Clear

All premises should have a clear evacuation plan that the staff all know and can put into action if required.

This also means having a clear route to escape in the event of a more serious fire.  Fire doors and passages should be kept clear and safe to use at all times.

4. Close The Door

When it is clear the fire is out of your control, then walk away and close the door.

This will go some way to help contain the fire to the one room longer than if there was an opening. Ensure everyone is out of the vicinity and wait for the fire brigade to arrive.

5. Cover The Pan With A Lid

You need to assess the situation first and if safe to do so, pop a metal lid on the pan.

By doing this, you are containing the fire and shutting out the oxygen supply to it. This should be enough to stop the fire completely.

6. Use A Fire Blanket If Appropriate

In some situations, you may be able to rely on a fire blanket to put out the fire. 

Small fires, that are inside the pan or fryer, with no overspill, can be put out with a fire blanket. Many domestic chip pan fires can be handled this way. Industrial kitchens are on a much bigger scale so this will not always be possible to do.

7. Use A Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

A wet chemical fire extinguisher is the safest piece of equipment you can use on an oil fire.

It has been designed to put out these types of fires and the long nozzle keeps you at a safe distance too.  Point the nozzle at the fire and stand at least 1 metre away before releasing the safety pin. If it is safe to do so, then pull the lever and let it do its job. You should use the entire contents of the container.

8. Ventilate The Room

Smoke gets everywhere and takes quite some time to disperse, so get those windows open once the fire is out.

Extra ventilation will go a long way to making the room less smoky. Inhaling too much smoke can be really dangerous so getting as much fresh air as possible is important.

What If The Fire Is Too Large?

When there is a fire in your kitchen, it is important to first assess the situation and know how to determine if the fire is too large.

Small chip pan fires are common in homes and other small premises such as mobile catering. Provided you catch the fire quickly, then it will be contained and considered fairly small. This is the case if the fire is happening in a small, modest chip pan or air fryer.

Of course, many industrial kitchens have huge kitchen appliances where food can be prepared in bulk such as chip shops. In this environment, where there is so much hot oil, the fire will likely take hold very quickly.

When fires are big they should be left well alone until the fire services arrive. Your priority is to get everyone out safely, call the fire brigade and close any doors to the fire.

What Happens if You Put Water on an Oil Fire?

You should never throw water onto an oil fire. The two substances do not mix, and throwing water on burning oil can create a fireball. The reaction can be incredibly intense.

Once you throw water onto a fire fuelled by oil, the water sinks to the bottom of the oil and flash boils. This creates an explosively dangerous situation.

Once this happens, the fire can spread very quickly. Never be tempted to use any sort of water container on an oil fire. As well as risking the fire spreading, you are also at risk of getting hot oil on your own skin. Your safety also needs to remain your number one priority.

Class F fires need to be handled with a wet chemical fire extinguisher at all times. Although this type of extinguisher is the only option you have, it does have the advantage of working on other fire types too.

How to Prevent Chip Pan Fires

There are ways to stay safe around hot oil that can help prevent chip pan fires.

• Keep the oil content in the pan to a third or below.
• Deep fat fryers that are controlled by a thermostat are much safer to use.
• Do not put wet foods into hot oil as this will cause a splash back effect.
• Keep a watch over the kitchen at all times.
• Warm up oil slowly and don’t let it exceed its flashpoint.
• Keep the kitchen clean and clutter-free.
• Keep a wet chemical extinguisher nearby.

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