Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
Williamsburg, VA – A motorist in Williamsburg, VA is being hailed as a hero for assisting a trapped truck driver after his fuel transport truck crashed and caught fire. As flames began to spread to the truck’s cab near the driver, the bystander quickly identified the fire extinguisher on board and used it to stop the flames before they could reach the driver. After the fire was out, she tended to the driver until first responders arrived on scene and transported him to a nearby hospital. Thanks to the bystander’s quick action, the driver is expected to make a full recovery.
Williamsburg Yorktown Daily – Williamsburg, VA
La Grange Park, IL – In La Grange Park, IL, firefighters responded after an automatic fire alarm was triggered at a 27-unit apartment complex. Upon entering the complex, they found that a kitchen fire had been put out by a resident using a portable fire extinguisher. Thanks to the resident’s response, damage was limited to the kitchen, and no one was injured. After the incident, fire officials highlighted the importance of fire safety, encouraging everyone to keep a portable fire extinguisher and check smoke detectors regularly.
Chicago Tribune – La Grange Park, IL
Cortland, NY – When a fire broke out in the kitchen of a Cortland, NY home, tenants quickly jumped into action to avoid disaster. Following a 911 call, Cortland firefighters responded to the home to find smoke coming from the second floor. By the time they entered the home, a tenant had already used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the fire and began ventilating the room. After the incident, Cortland fire officials noted that thanks to the tenant’s actions, the home suffered no structural damage.
WXHC – Homer,NY
Monroe, LA – Two elementary school teachers in Baskin, LA are being praised for their courageous actions when they found an A/C unit on fire in the teacher’s lounge. As the flames began to spread to the nearby curtains, one teacher located a fire extinguisher while the other pulled the fire alarm to trigger an evacuation. Although she had never used a fire extinguisher before, the teacher used it safely and effectively to knock out the fire in a matter of seconds. Fire officials praised the teachers for their heroic actions, noting that their actions likely saved lives and prevented devastating damage to the school.
KNOE – Monroe, LA
Zumbrotra, MN – In Zumbrota, MN, a police officer’s swift response to a fire prevented serious damage. When a bystander called to report a fire, the sergeant arrived to find the exterior of a home ablaze. After confirming that the home had been safely evacuated, the sergeant used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames. When fire officials arrived on scene, they confirmed that damage was limited to the exterior of the home. Thanks to the officer’s timely response, the residents returned home shortly after the incident.
KIMT3 – Rochester, MN
Seattle, WA – On Christmas night, a Snoqualmie, WA father and son saved a driver trapped inside a burning car involved in a wrong-way crash. The father and his son attempted to rescue the unconscious driver but were unable to open the car doors due to the damage from the accident and spreading fire. Fortunately, the father had a portable fire extinguisher on hand and used it to knock out the flames. The driver was safely removed from the vehicle and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
KIRO – Seattle, WA
Bethlehem, PA – After waking up to her fire alarm sounding, a local reporter in Bethlehem, PA found her dishwasher on fire. As the flames began to spread, she grabbed a portable fire extinguisher and used it to completely extinguish the flames. Damage was limited to the dishwasher and the family was able to return home shortly after authorities cleared the house. After the incident, she shared her experience, stressing that the outcome could have been much worse if she did not have a fire extinguisher on hand.
Lehigh Valley News – Bethlehem, PA
Midland, MI – A police officer and two good Samaritans in Midland, MI are being praised for a heroic rescue after a van caught fire on US-10. When the officer arrived on the scene, he found the vehicle burning with three passengers trapped inside. The officer ran to his patrol vehicle to secure a portable fire extinguisher and controlled the flames so that two bystanders could assist the passengers out of the vehicle. According to Midland Police officials, the officer’s efforts prevented a tragedy, as the flames engulfed the vehicle just moments after the passengers got to safety.
Midland Daily News – Midland, MI
Eugene, OR – Fire officials in Venata, Oregon are praising a local café owner after she stopped a fire during an arson attempt. After witnessing a man set fire to chairs in the lobby of a nearby office building, the woman jumped into action. She assisted in evacuating employees to safety before reentering the building. Once inside, she located a nearby fire extinguisher and used it to knock down the flames before they could spread. Fire officials lauded her response, emphasizing that the fire could have easily spread to nearby businesses, causing serious damage.
KEZI 9 News – Eugene, OR
Manchester, NH – A potential disaster was averted by a Salem, NH family after a kitchen fire broke out on Thanksgiving. While preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the homeowner noticed that their turkey had caught fire and engulfed the family’s oven. Fortunately, she had a portable fire extinguisher nearby and rushed to put out the flames while a family member dialed 911. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the fire completely extinguished and the family safe. Although the turkey was lost, damage to the home was limited.
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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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.
