Only you can prevent commercial oven fires! Here’s how you can do it.
Most people don’t react to there being a fire well. The burning smell causes some anxiety, let alone a smoke alarm triggering and flames appearing. What should you do if your commercial oven catches fire?
We’re here to explain the basics of extinguishing fires in multiple oven types. We’ll also share why a commercial oven catches fire and how to prevent commercial kitchen disasters.
5 Steps if a Commercial Oven Catches Fire
When an oven fire suddenly happens, knowing what to do can save lives and your building. While different appliances require unique methods, there are a few rules that apply to every appliance, which include the following:
- Leave the door closed because an open door feeds oxygen to the flames inside. Also, if you leave the door open, you might face a severe blast that could lead to an injury.
- Turn the oven and burners off; as a precaution, it’s best to unplug nearby appliances while moving everything away from the stove and keeping a close eye on the flames.
- Do not use water because water isn’t effective against oven and stove top fires. Water thrown onto a grease fire will spread the flames. Water is also hazardous around electronic products.
- Use the fire extinguisher if necessary. The fire might go out on its own with the door closed. However, be prepared to use your fire extinguisher if flames spread up through the stovetop.
- Understand when it’s time to call for help. If the flames don’t die down, and you’re concerned for your safety, leave the building immediately and contact the fire department. Of course, you’ll want to ensure that your team also exits the building safely.
How to Put Out Fires That Don’t Come From Conventional Ovens
Kitchen fires don’t always start in conventional ovens. We recommend taking these safeguards when dealing with other types of oven fires.
- Electric: Shut off the kitchen’s electrical circuit if you can’t unplug the stove
- Convection: The exact instructions for handling electric oven fires applies
- Oven broiler: Use baking soda or salt to smother small fires; refrain from using flour or baking powder.
- Toaster: Unplug the device or flip the circuit breaker to the kitchen
- Microwave: Unplug the appliance, or turn off the kitchen’s circuit breaker
Why Oven Fires Happen and How to Prevent Them
Oven fires happen because of the following:
- Unattended appliances
- Combustibles being too close to heating elements.
- Grease splattering from fatty food
- Batter overflowing during baking
- Fires that happen during the self-cleaning process due to equipment malfunction.
One of the best ways to prevent oven fires is to pay attention to your kitchen and not leave it unsupervised while cooking. We also suggest the following:
- Keep broiler areas and ovens clean
- When baking, place a drip tray under these items
- Never use an oven to heat the kitchen.
- Refrain from drying any combustible items in the oven
- Treat your equipment to annual maintenance
There are so many ways to prevent commercial oven fires. However, if a commercial oven catches fire, we hope this content helps you feel prepared.
CONTACT PINE HEIGHTS COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICE, INC.!
Since 1971, Pine Heights Commercial Kitchen Service, Inc., has been the leader in Commercial Kitchen Equipment Services in the greater Baltimore Metropolitan area. We specialize in Restaurant Equipment Repair Services, Commercial Refrigeration, Preventive Maintenance, in-shop repairs, and over-the-counter parts.
At Pine Heights, our motto is simple: “Quality Service for Less.” We provide the highest level of commercial maintenance for a competitive rate. We are veteran and family-owned and operated and located in Baltimore at 2900 West Patapsco Ave., Baltimore, MD 21230.
If you are ready for reliable Commercial Kitchen Equipment Services in Maryland, contact us today by phone, fax, or at our Baltimore location! Also, keep in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter!