Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
TEMPLE, TX – Employees of a Texas grocery store were able to use a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire that had started in the loading dock. Temple fire fighters arrived at the loading dock area around 3:40 a.m. to find that the fire had already been extinguished by the store employees. Their fire investigation determined that the fire was started unintentionally from the heat of a trailer’s clearance light against the door seal. Temple Fire and Rescue said the damage was confined to the door seal and that no one was injured by the fire.
News Channel 25 KXXV (Temple, TX)
PORTLAND, OR – A family of five was in their home when their newly purchased hover board burst into flames on the house’s staircase. The family’s sons were upstairs in their bedrooms, while the two parents were down stairs. The father quickly grabbed a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames coming from the hover board. Meanwhile, the sons were following the family’s emergency escape plan, which allowed the boys to safely climb down the side of the house using an emergency ladder.
BURTON, SC – Over three consecutive days, Burton Fire officials were dispatched to three separate fires that were ultimately extinguished by bystanders before the fire fighters arrived. The first fire started in a school bus wheel well and was doused using the fire extinguisher that was on board. The bus was not carrying any passengers at the time of the incident. The second fire occurred in a J.C. Penney parking lot when a pickup truck’s engine caught on fire. The driver immediately stopped and used the portable fire extinguisher he had to put out the flames. The final fire was caused by a malfunctioning window air conditioner unit in a home living room. The fire then spread to a nearby couch, but the home’s resident cut power to the unit and used a fire extinguisher. Burton Fire officials are using the incidents to highlight the importance of every home and vehicle having a fire extinguisher.
ELKIN, NC – Three Walmart employees and a customer were honored by the store for their quick thinking that helped minimize an emergency situation and save property and lives. Back on July 4th, around 10:30 pm, a customer alerted the store employees to a fire that had started on one of the merchandise shelves. Three of the store’s employees and a customer ran to get fire extinguishers, which they then used to put out the flames. All three employees had received computer-based extinguisher training, which they credit to helping their effectiveness in the situation. While fire damage to the store was limited, it did have to temporarily close down for the smoke damage to be removed.
JEROME, ID – The Jerome City Fire Department received an emergency call from a resident claiming that there was an explosion next to her house at the Jerome Business Center. When the Fire Department arrived at the Center, they found that the structural fire caused from the explosion had already been put out with a fire extinguisher by two men working in the building. After the fire crew investigated the scene, they learned that the explosion and fire were caused by the tenants of the building who were grinding metal which created a spark that set some fuel vapors on fire. There were no injuries as a result of the explosion or fire.
EVERETT, WA – The Everett Director of Emergency Management and the town Fire Marshal recognized a local woman who helped save her neighbor’s house from a fire. Early one morning, the woman woke to shouting coming from her neighbor’s house. When she looked out the window, she saw that there was a fire on the neighbor’s back porch. She quickly grabbed a portable fire extinguisher from her kitchen, and ran to her neighbor’s house to extinguish the fire. The neighbor had already called 911, but the woman was able to prevent the fire from spreading until the authorities arrived.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ – As a FedEx driver completed his delivery route, he witnessed a car crash into a large rock and flip over. The FedEx driver then immediately pulled over and jumped into action. He ran to the flipped car and carefully helped remove the driver from the vehicle. He then noticed the vehicle had caught on fire so he returned to his truck, grabbed a portable fire extinguisher, and used it to put out the flames. While the police department arrived on the scene less than a minute after the crash, the FedEx driver had already saved the motorist and extinguished the fire.
TAP into Milltown/Spotswood (South Brunswick, NJ)
SIOUX FALLS, SD – While construction crews were working at a Sioux Falls technical high school, they noticed a fire had ignited on the school’s roof. After the crew reported the fire to authorities, they used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. The Sioux Falls Fire Rescue team arrived to find the fire fully extinguished and assisted the school in cleanup efforts. The cause of the fire is unknown, but there were no injuries as a result.
Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, SD)
GATES, NY – A 37-year-old man was riding a bicycle with a modified gas-propelled engine when he was hit by a vehicle turning left. The man then crashed and the bicycle’s gas engine caught on fire. A passerby who witnessed the crash used a portable extinguisher to put out the fire. The bicyclist sustained head injuries as a result of the crash, but the fire was extinguished before anyone was hurt by it.
WINTERVILLE, NC – Early one morning, a Winterville homeowner woke to a burning smell and the sound of a neighbor banging on his door alerting him to a fire on his house. The fire had started near a front entrance on the exterior of the home. Together, the neighbor and homeowner used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. When the Red Oak Fire Department arrived at the house, only light smoke was seen coming from the house thanks to the quick actions of the duo. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but the homeowner believes it was a wire that started the early morning fire.
Latest Stories
Home saved with extinguisher after dryer catches fire
Chester, MA – A homeowner in Chester, MA, successfully contained a dryer fire using a portable fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived. The Chester Fire Department responded to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. Fire officials praised the homeowner for having the appropriate extinguisher on hand, which prevented significant damage to the home. WWLP – Chester, […]
Extinguisher stops fire at laundromat
Corvallis, OR – At a laundromat in Corvallis, OR, a bystander utilized a portable fire extinguisher to stop a fire that started inside one of the laundry machines. After smoke alarms sounded, the individual used a nearby fire extinguisher to suppress fire. When fire officials arrived on scene, they found the fire completely extinguished and […]
Homeowners use extinguisher to prevent major house fire
Concord, VA – Homeowners in Concord, Virginia, successfully put out a fire using a portable fire extinguisher after being alerted by their smoke alarms. The Concord Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD) responded to the scene but found the fire already extinguished. Fire crews ventilated the remaining smoke from the home before clearing the scene. CVFD praised […]
Extinguisher keeps garage fire at bay
Huntley, IL – Construction workers used a portable fire extinguisher to help contain a fire that broke out in a homeowner’s garage. The workers started with buckets of water, but as the flames grew, they found a nearby fire extinguisher and used it to suppress the flames. Fire officials praised the workers for containing the […]
Robotics students avoid disaster with extinguishers
West Newbury, MA – When a fire broke out in a Massachusetts school auditorium, a group of robotics students responded using portable fire extinguishers. After noticing a growing blaze in a trash barrel filled with sawdust, the students used the nearby fire extinguishers to control the flames before first responders arrived. School officials praised the […]
Hero uses fire extinguisher, saves seniors
South Strabane, PA – A maintenance worker’s use of a portable fire extinguisher is being highlighted for stopping a fire at a senior living facility in Washington County. When a fire broke out in a senior’s apartment, the worker quickly used a portable fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames within 90 seconds. The worker was […]
Neighbor uses fire extinguisher against cooking fire
De Pere, WI – In De Pere, WI, a fire in a townhome kitchen was extinguished using a portable fire extinguisher. When a grease fire broke out on the stove, the homeowner called 911, but before firefighters could arrive, a neighbor and a nearby police officer used a fire extinguisher to completely extinguish the fire. […]
Bystander, fire extinguisher help save home on Christmas
Henrico County, VA – A Henrico County, VA couple narrowly avoid disaster on Christmas Day by using a portable fire extinguisher to put out an electrical fire. When a bystander alerted them to a fire on their front porch, the homeowner quickly used a fire extinguisher to suppress the fire. When firefighters arrived, they found […]
Research
Portable Fire Extinguishers Dramatically Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Building Fires
Portable Fire Extinguishers are Safe & Effective Tools for Building Occupants
Videos
About FireExtinguishersSaveLives.org
Why Fire Extinguishers are Important
How to Use a Portable Fire Extinguisher
Fire Safety Map
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.
