Jump to content
The Lotus Eaters: Share Bug Reports and Feedback Here! ×

Thank God For Smoke Alarms!

Luminati07

By Luminati07,
in Off Topic

 Share

Recommended Posts

Luminati07

Luminati07

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hey everyone,

 

Just thought I'd share a story about something that happened to me today.

_______________________________

 

Alright, it's Friday morning.

I get Fridays off work, so I slept in a bit. At about 10:30, I decided it was time for breakfast.

 

I head to the kitchen, no milk, no cereal, no bread, no ham, no bacon, no eggs. But, I have a few potatoes.

So, I decide to cook some chips (what a healthy breakfast that is!).

 

I put some oil in a saucepan, put the lid on and chuck it on the hotplate. (So it's hot enough by the time I finish cutting the potatoes).

 

I reach in to the potato container, and they turn to mush in my hand. Completely off.

So, I take them outside and chuck them in the bin.

 

Afterwards, I head to my room (still hungry) and start forum lurking/playing a bit of BF4/playing Dissidia.

After x minutes, the smoke alarm starts going off.

 

I'm thinking "what the F*** is that going off for'. It's never gone off apart from when the toaster sets it off.

Then I immediately think "OH F***!!!! THE OIL".

 

I sprinted out of my room, only to be greeted with a facefull of smoke.

The pot is basically pouring with smoke.

Straight away, I turn off the hotplate.

 

This is when it all goes to S#&$.

 

As we all know, oxygen fuels fire. And, being the genius I am, I take the lid off. (Stupidest thing I've ever done)

 

Almost instantly, the oil flares up right in front of me. Good thing I had quick reflexes, I take my face away from the fire, and literally dive to the ground, dropping the lid.

 

My mind isn't thinking anything apart from "Oh F***, oh F***, oh F***".

Without even thinking, I called up the fire brigade and told them what's going on. (There was a S#&$ tonne of smoke. I thought the house was done)

 

They told me to just sit tight (outside, of course), and don't touch the fire or saucepan. (I thought it was just going to spread and burn down the whole house).

 

The dog was going nuts.

At this point, there was so much smoke, I couldn't even see further than a metre inside

 

Eventually, the fire brigade turned up and like the badasses that they are, they just pick up the saucepan, take it outside, and go on their merry way.

 

Overall, and extremely luckily, the fire wasn't all that bad. There's some damage in the kitchen to the walls/paint, and the exhaust fan is basically just a pile of mush.

 

I didn't get any burns on my face, but I have a bunch of oil burns up my hand, right arm, and on my chest.

_________________________________________________

 

Just got back from the hospital, and I thought I'd share it with you.

 

I've gotta say, that was pretty damn terrifying. Not for my own life, but I genuinely thought the house was going to be destroyed. :/

 

I mean...I get punched in the face repeatedly as part of my job and my training, and dealing with a small-ish oil fire was just...I just can't describe it.

 

Moral of the story: NEVER take the lid off a smoking, boiling pot of oil.

 

I don't even want to think of what would have happened if we didn't have a smoke alarm...

 

Also, thank God that I knew that you should never throw water on an oil fire.

Just saw a video of what effect that has. Scary stuff!

Edited by Nugget_
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Letter13

Letter13

Posted
Posted

Eventually, the fire brigade turned up and like the badasses that they are, they just pick up the saucepan, take it outside, and go on their merry way.

 

****ers stole your saucepan. I'd be absolutely furious.

 

Glad to hear that your house, dog and that you'll be alright from the ordeal though. Had a sort of similar experience with a Turkish roommate two summers ago (long story short, he tried to break into the White House, got arrested by the Secret Service and was then institutionalized) and a kettle... which he somehow managed to make the metal catch fire (who knew metal could even catch fire?).

 

Smoke Detectors are important man.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lactamid

Lactamid

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hey everyone,

 

Just thought I'd share a story about something that happened to me today.

_______________________________

 

I head to the kitchen, no milk, no cereal, no bread, no ham, no bacon, no eggs. But, I have a few >>potatoes<<.

 

 

I put some oil in a saucepan, put the lid on and chuck it on the hotplate. (So it's hot enough by the time I finish cutting the >>potatoes<<).

 

I reach in to the >>potato container<<, and they turn to mush in my hand. Completely off.

Warframe has damaged my brain and the automatized my reading focus.

 

I am glad you are ok though!

 

DE - plz give this man some new potatoes, he clearly needs and deserves it.

Edited by Lactamid
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminati07

Luminati07

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Good thing you're alright.

Also learned something from reading your story.

Not gonna touch the lid when this happens to me.

Great to hear that I taught someone something ^^

I knew that oxygen = fire, and I was still stupid enough to take the lid off.

 

I'll use this to make sure people know that you should NEVER use water on an oil fire!!

 

I am so thankful that I already knew that. If I didn't, I have a feeling that I'd be sitting in the ER burns unit.

I know it's common knowledge, but if I can teach one person this, then that's something.

 

Example of Water + Oil fire.

2z5t6wp.png

nzkk6v.png

5v91ea.png

 

^That's a 100% accurate representation of what would happen if you tried to extinguish an oil fire with water.

Edited by Nugget_
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Luminati07

Luminati07

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Quick little update.

 

I didn't realise how much of a mess smoke makes.

The area of the fire is pitch black, but every single wall/surface has a coating of soot on it.

It's invisible half the time, but if you run a cloth over it, it leaves a black mark.

 

Gotta clean every single wall, surface and bit of furniture.

 

On the flipside, spiderwebs that I never knew were there, are now covered in soot and are 100% visible :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...