Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
MARNE, MI – Six fire departments responded to a dispatch call of an explosion at a local barrel reconditioning facility. The company’s president said that the fire was caused by an inexperienced employee grinding too close to a barrel. Before any of the fire departments were able to arrive at the scene, employees had already put out the flames with a portable fire extinguisher. Two workers were checked out on the scene as a precaution, but no one was taken to the hospital. Fire authorities inspected the building, but there was only minor damage as a result of the fire and employees were cleared to reenter shortly after the incident.
PUYALLUP, WA – Costco employees had to spring into action after a customer’s cellphone caught fire in his pants. The man was shopping when, abruptly, the cellphone in his pants pocket started smoking and burst into flames. As the man hurried to remove his pants, other customers and employees were alerted to the incident. The man was able to completely take off his pants, and an employee had grabbed a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. The store manager told reporters that the customer was not injured as a result of the fire.
DETROIT, MI – The EMT’s were first to arrive on the scene of a reported house fire. Fire crews were battling another fire and were not able to get to the second fire immediately. The two EMT’s acted quickly, grabbing a portable fire extinguisher to knock down the flames before they worked to evacuate the family. At first, no one inside the house was responding to the EMT’s as they knocked on the doors. Finally, when someone answered the door, they were able to evacuate all the residents, some of whom were children. The actions of the EMT’s ensured that the fire did not spread beyond the front of the house and that no one was injured as a result of the fire.
COPPERAS COVE, TX – A Copperas Cove maintenance employee was driving a school bus one morning when he spotted a quickly spreading yard fire. He immediately pulled over the bus, ensured the children were being supervised by the bus aide, and sprang into action. He first notified a neighbor, then grabbed the portable fire extinguisher from the bus and proceeded to put out the flames before they could reach the home. Students on the bus later told reporters that he was a “bus driving, fire-fighting super hero.”
MEMPHIS, TN – Just before 10 p.m. on a Friday night, a bystander witnessed a car crash and catch on fire. The man said he could see that the fuel line was busted, so he quickly ran inside a nearby store and grabbed a portable fire extinguisher. He knew his priority had to be putting out the flames with the extinguisher. As a result of his actions, the fire did not spread and the first responders were able to remove the three people from the vehicle. The Memphis Police Department said all three people inside the vehicle were taken to the hospital in non-critical condition.
WMC Action News 5 (Memphis, TN)
BALTIMORE, MD – Howard County, MD residents retold the story of how a smoldering match almost cost them the contents of their house. On New Year’s Day, the homeowner was lighting candles in her house when the tip of lit match broke off and disappeared under a dresser. Soon after, the husband and wife discovered a quickly growing fire in their bedroom closet. Luckily, the homeowners had a portable fire extinguisher nearby, and the husband was able to put the fire out before it was able to spread. The couple had one piece of advice to share from the experience: “Please check with all your loved ones and friends to be sure they have a fire extinguisher and know how to use it.”
The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD)
MILWAUKEE, WI – The head chef at a Milwaukee restaurant was outside hanging Christmas decorations when he noticed that the man grilling across the street had set his porch on fire. The chef and two other men grabbed several fire extinguishers from the restaurant and ran across the street. The restaurants’ business manager was watching the three men; she said that the flames were growing quickly. The men, however, managed to completely put the fire out using the extinguishers before the fire department arrived. No one was hurt as a result of the fire.
VISALIA, CA – Visalia fire authorities labeled a small fire at the city’s Target as suspicious after employees discovered the fire in the toilet paper aisle. A store employee put out the flames by using a portable fire extinguisher before fire crews arrived at the store. The employee was able to extinguish the fire before the store’s fire sprinklers were activated, preventing a potential $50 million loss of products. The actual estimated loss was reported to be $350, but due to the suspicious nature of the fire, two engines and a battalion chief responded to the scene.
Visalia Times-Delta (Visalia, CA)
LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ – All of the animals at the Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park are safe after an electrical fire started in the otter exhibit. Two of the park’s employees discovered the fire shortly after 7 a.m. The employees worked together to save the animals; while one employee put out the flames with a portable fire extinguisher, the other worked to evacuate the air-breathing animals. The fire was extinguished before fire crews arrived on the scene, and only minimal damage was reported.
DALLAS, TX – An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth, TX on route to Indianapolis, IN had to be diverted to Little Rock, AR after a passenger’s e-cigarette caught fire in the airplane’s restroom. Crew members responded swiftly by using a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Passengers reported that while the flight attendants were able to extinguish the fire quickly, the plane still performed an accelerated decent to the Little Rock airport. None of the passengers or crew members were injured, and upon inspection, no damage to the plane was discovered.
Latest Stories
Teenager stops kitchen fire with extinguisher
Blanchard, PA – A teenager in Centre County, PA is being praised for his quick actions after helping extinguish a fire in a neighbor’s kitchen. The fire broke out when cooking oil ignited on the stove at the home. The teen, who was visiting the home, ran to retrieve a portable fire extinguisher from his […]
Citizen honored for fire extinguisher save
Carson City, NV – A Carson City resident was recognized for rescuing a neighbor during a fire last month. After a gas explosion caused a fire at his apartment complex, the resident quickly found a nearby portable fire extinguisher and entered the burning apartment to find his neighbor trapped in a bedroom. He used a […]
Employees extinguish 2-alarm fire
Wareham, MA – Employees of Wareham, MA Dunkin Donuts used portable fire extinguishers to extinguish a two-alarm fire before firefighters arrived. The Wareham Fire Department responded to the scene after reports of a possible propane tank explosion. They found the rear exterior of the building burned but the fire already suppressed thanks to quick action […]
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 […]
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.
