Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
Beverly, MA – A Beverly couple woke up recently to the sound of their fire alarm alerting them to a fire in the kitchen. After leaving their phones to charge in the kitchen overnight, one of the chargers caught fire with the flames quickly spreading in the kitchen. The couple was able to contain the flames by using a portable fire extinguisher they had just received as a gift. When the firefighters arrived, they were able to put out the remainder of the flames. While the kitchen was heavily damaged, no injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Bend, OR – Two kitchen fires were reported within hours of each other in January in Bend, OR. The first fire started around 11am at an apartment complex after a stovetop was turned on to boil water. A coffee carousel was accidentally left in range of the burner and caught fire. Residents were evacuated after the fire broke out, but the tenant was able to extinguish the flames using a portable fire extinguisher. The second fire occurred later that evening when a 20-year-old microwave caught fire while operating. The fire was also put out using a portable extinguisher, which limited damage to the home.
Jacksonville, NC – A fire started in a sanitation truck due to lithium batteries being incorrectly disposed of. According to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, this type of battery disposal is illegal. When the batteries were pushed into the back of the truck with flammable waste, they combusted and a fire erupted. The sanitation workers in the truck noticed the fire and worked to control the fire using a portable extinguisher. With help from the fire department, the fire was able to be completely doused and no one was harmed. Little damage to the truck was reported and it remains operational.
JDNews.com, The Daily News (Jacksonville, NC)
Tipp City, OH – A stage curtain at the Center for Performing Arts at the Tippecanoe High School caught fire this week. Due to the quick action of the school staff members who were on the scene, the fire was put out using a portable fire extinguisher prior to the fire department’s arrival. It’s believed to have been caused by radiant heat from the stage lighting. The damage was contained to a small portion of the curtain and no injuries were sustained by anyone on the scene.
Endicott, NY – The Cider Mill in Endicott caught fire one early morning this week. The fire was traced to an electrical outlet and when firefighters arrived on the scene, the staff had already been able to safely put it out with a portable extinguisher. Even though they had to close the shop for the day, no one was hurt and there was no damage to any of the property. With their large following in the community, customers were happy to hear that the fire was more of “an inconvenience and not a tragedy”.
Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin (Binghamton, NY)
Moose, WY – Multiple fire, EMS, and law enforcement units were called to a structure fire at a Wyoming vacation destination where several hundred people were attending a large dinner event. When authorities arrived, bystanders reported that all occupants had been evacuated and that the fire had started in a commercial kitchen. Resort staff had already successfully suppressed the majority of the fire using portable extinguishers. No injuries to the public or emergency responders were sustained, and fire damage was limited to the kitchen thanks to the quick action of resort staff and their use of installed portable extinguishers.
Manchester, NH – City firefighters said a neighbor extinguished a small blaze on the third floor of a home in Manchester, New Hampshire. According to the Manchester District Fire Chief, once the neighbor had noticed the fire, he quickly used a portable fire extinguisher to knock down the flames. When fire authorities arrived, they opened the walls, decking and ceiling to extinguish any remaining flames. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Orcas Island, WA – Orcas Island Fire and Rescue was dispatched on Aug. 15 to a small fire located in a public restroom. The fire appeared to have been started by someone igniting a piece of toilet paper located in a plastic dispenser. Thanks to the ready location of a fire extinguisher and the quick work of an individual nearby, the flames were knocked down before extensive damage was done to the building. San Juan County Fire Marshal R.J. Myers commented that “its interventions such as this that show the importance of having extinguishers nearby, both in our homes and businesses.”
The Islands’ Sounder (Orcas Island, WA)
New Castle, PA – A Pittsburg family woke late one Saturday night to find that a charging hoverboard had caught on fire in their home. The homeowner told fire authorities that the flames were up to the ceiling. The father of the family used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the fire. The fire was likely caused by the use a charger that was not sold with the hoverboard. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
Northridge, ND – The Bismarck Fire Department was called to the Northridge Elementary School after a fire was reported in a basement storage area. However, a school employee was able to put out the flames using a portable fire extinguisher before the fire department arrived. There were no injuries and the damage was limited to the basement. Officials determined that the fire started on a stovetop in the basement and was ruled as accidental.
Latest Stories
Employees use fire extinguisher against mechanical fire
Lincoln, NE – Employees at a manufacturing plant in Lincoln, NE utilized a portable fire extinguisher to stop the spread of a duct fire. After a mechanical failure in the plant’s exhaust system sparked the fire, employees used a nearby fire extinguisher to knock out the flames before firefighters arrived on scene. Fire officials praised […]
Use of fire extinguisher prevents porch fire from spreading
Elk River, MN – An employee of a Minnesota retirement community used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire caused by a discarded cigarette, preventing a potentially devastating porch fire. When a poorly discarded cigarette ignited a porch planter, flames and smoke began to enter the apartment building. Hearing the smoke detector, the […]
Homeowners extinguish fire started by family pet
Almira Township, MI – Homeowners in Almira Township, MI, used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a kitchen fire started by the family pet. According to fire officials, the family cat likely turned on the oven’s self-cleaning function which ignited grease in a pan left overnight. The home’s smoke alarm sounded, waking up the […]
Officer extinguishes engine fire, saves driver
Traverse, City MI – In Traverse City, Michigan, a conservation officer is being recognized for rescuing a driver involved in a two-vehicle crash. While he was assisting the rescue effort, the engine of one of the vehicles caught fire. As the flames began to spread, he quickly retrieved the portable fire extinguisher from his patrol […]
Quick-thinking employees extinguish fire
Somerset, KY – At a Dairy Queen in Somerset, Kentucky, employees quickly extinguished a kitchen fire before firefighters arrived. Firefighters dispatched to the scene were relieved to find that employees had already put out the flames using a portable fire extinguisher. The firefighters noted that the employees had completely extinguished the fire using proper fire […]
Bus driver saves police officer after crash
Pine Bluff, AR – In Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a school bus driver saved a police officer’s life after the officer’s vehicle slammed into his bus and caught fire. As flames began to spread across the vehicle, the bus driver was unable to get the driver out of the vehicle. He used a portable fire extinguisher from […]
Oven fire quickly extinguished
Philomath, OR – A woman in Philomath, OR, averted disaster when oil in her oven ignited during a self-cleaning cycle. As the oven caught fire, she quickly grabbed a portable fire extinguisher from outside her apartment door and successfully extinguished the flames before firefighters arrived. Thanks to her swift actions, the damage was limited to […]
Heroes save driver after car catches fire
Dundee, NE – Bystanders in Dundee, NE, are being praised for their quick actions in saving a driver whose vehicle had caught fire. As flames rapidly engulfed the car, two bystanders grabbed portable fire extinguishers and used them to slow the blaze long enough for others to pry open the car door and rescue the […]
Research
Portable Fire Extinguishers Dramatically Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Building Fires
Portable Fire Extinguishers are Safe & Effective Tools for Building Occupants
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Are You Safe? Does your building require fire extinguishers throughout?
Every state has a State Fire Code with a section on fire extinguisher requirements. To get an overview of what state fire codes are based on and if states have made enhancements to fire codes visit the Interactive Fire Safety Map.
