Fire Department

A caller reported to the Dane County 911 Communications Center that an apartment on Vernon Ave. was on fire Tuesday afternoon. A full MFD structure fire response was dispatched to the address.
 
Engine 5 was first to arrive and found nothing showing from the outside. Several people had evacuated to the front yard and flagged down firefighters, and the occupant reported that the fire was out.
 
When crews checked on the unit, they found minimal smoke as the sliding glass door had been left open to ventilate the apartment. Engine 5 examined the area to ensure there was no fire extension to the cabinets or structure.
 
The cabinets sustained smoke damage, and there's minor smoke damage to the ceiling. The two occupants were temporarily displaced by the fire and have an alternate place to stay until management is able to have the apartment cleaned.
 
The occupant told firefighters that her daughter had been heating oil in preparation for making pancakes. That’s when a fire broke out. The daughter’s first reaction was to put water on the fire; however, that made matters worse. The burning pan was then moved to the sink, where a dry chemical extinguisher was deployed and successfully killed the fire.
 
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While it’s commonly observed that fires are extinguished with water, grease fires are different. Because oil and water do not mix, water has the ability to splatter the oil and spread the fire. Grease fires need to be smothered and deprived of oxygen. If it is safe to do so, the best course of action is to cover a small grease fire with the lid of a pot or pan.
 
If a grease fire grows out of control, immediately evacuate the building, close all doors behind you, and call 911.