If Cooking Oil Catches Fire, Use a 'Class K Fire Extinguisher'... Wet Towels and Baechu Also 'Effective'

ABC Fire Extinguishers Ineffective on Oil Fires

Before the Chuseok holiday, there are many cases of fires occurring while preparing ceremonial foods such as fried dishes, so caution is necessary.

According to statistics from the National Fire Agency's National Fire System on the 16th, a total of 1,170 fires occurred nationwide during the Chuseok holiday period over the past five years (2018?2022). Of these, 425 cases, or 36.3%, were confirmed to have occurred in residential facilities.

Looking at the causes of fires, 28.4% of fires occurred during food cooking. This is about twice as high compared to 15.1% of the total fire cases. Among the holiday period, the risk of fire was highest on Chuseok day itself, followed by the day before and the day after Chuseok.

Using an ABC powder extinguisher on fires caused by overheated cooking oil or grease does not extinguish the fire at all. The ABC powder extinguisher, commonly used for general fires, is mainly used for Class A (ordinary combustibles), Class B (flammable liquids), and Class C (electrical) fires.

The most effective extinguisher for kitchen fires is the Class K extinguisher. It is named after the first letter of "Kitchen." The Class K extinguisher uses a wet chemical agent as its main ingredient to lower the temperature of cooking oil heated above its ignition point by about 30 degrees Celsius. It also forms a film on the surface of the cooking oil and cuts off oxygen supply, effectively putting out the fire. The Class K extinguisher can also be used for Class A fires caused by common combustible materials such as wood and paper.

A fire official said, "If a Class K extinguisher is not available, covering the flames with a wet towel that has been wrung out is effective," and added, "If that is not possible, covering the flames with large leafy vegetables such as cabbage or lettuce is also good."