Quick! Toaster's on fire - again! Rush over and put it out now!
1Unplug the toaster from the electrical outlet if you can safely get close enough to it.Ad
2Do nothing if the fire offers no threat of spreading; allow the fire to burn itself out. As an alternative, use baking soda to put out small fires that are contained in a toaster oven's baking tray. For traditional-style toasters, do not add anything to the fire.
3Use an ABC-type fire extinguisher if the fire threatens to spread itself to cabinets or other combustibles. If the fire has already spread, and is no longer containable with a fire extinguisher, exit the premises and dial 911 to report the fire.
4Wait for the toaster to cool before you touch it.
5Discard the toaster and buy a new one. The wiring in your toaster is probably damaged and no longer safe to use.Ad
We could really use your help!
- Keep a small fire extinguisher in your kitchen in case the fire gets out of hand. Every kitchen should have one.
- Don't toast things that are topped with sugar or other flammables. (Frosted pop-tarts and marshmallows catch fire quite easily.)
- If you must toast flammable items, do multiple toasts on a low setting instead of one long toast.
- Install Toaster Shield. This is a food-safe heat shield that goes above the toaster and stops toast fires.
- Don't use water to put out an electrical (or grease) fire!
- Don't try to blow the flames out. Puffing air over them might make things worse and could get you burned.