Old Fire Extinguisher

[wood714]

I got my folks a large yellow fire extinguisher a lot of years ago.

Over the years, I'd see it in the garage, shed, and basement. They never kept it handy.

I was up at my mom's visiting 10 days, and happened to see it between a storage rack and her furnace.

Yesterday I was out in her garage getting ready to head back to FL. Heard yelling and smoke detectors going off. She had a flaming pan of grease on her stove. She tried to throw baking soda on it, my daughter dumped a large container of ice on it. That didn't help! I threw a wet dish towel over it, and it helped some, but by then the cabinets were on fire.

I went to the basement and got the fire extinguisher, and ran back to the kitchen praying it would work.

Worked like a charm. After everything was safe and the fire department left I looked at the dated code on the extinguisher. Oct 1982, 39 years old and it saved her house.

She obviously needs a new stove and microwave, and minimal wood work done, but had it not been for that yellow extinguisher, I'm sure the house would be in ruins today.

She had a flight Nov 6th to fly down for the winter. We talked her into riding back with me yesterday. My daughter and son in law are going to get her kitchen back to normal before she goes back to Ohio in May.

Only real damage.

 

[nicky4968]

American made, I bet.

 

[Miracle Man]

Oh my, glad it turned out alright.

 

[sophie]

Sure glad you’re Mom didn’t get burned and that old fire extinguisher done it’s job. That fire extinguisher had Halon in it which was an excellent extinguisher and was discontinued in 1994, the same time Freon 12 was discontinued because of Halon. Bad for our Ozone Layer, you understand.

 

[CH4]

Thanks for sharing. I always keep a 10 pounder on the wall in the kitchen and one upstairs. Ya just never know.

 

[old bear]

SO glad that on one was harmed, and any damage was minor compared to what could have happened.
Next time have the Fire Extinguisher mounted to the kitchen wall.
Fred

 

[Rustyt1953]

Kevin, that is frightening and sobering. Thank God for you and the extinguisher!

 

[Onomea]

Hey, that's great! Really fortunate that you were visiting. Amazing that it worked after 40 years! Glad the damage was not worse.

We keep an aerosol can of fire extinguishing foam in the cabinet above the stove. Bought one for my son's apartment, too. An inexpensive alternative with 30 seconds of fire suppressing foam. (My theory is keep it right there and hit any fire quickly.) Might be a good solution for your mom.

 

[Muss Muggins]

If it’s still pressurized, it’s gonna work. Glad everything turned out as good as it was gonna . . .

 

[wood714]

Sure glad you’re Mom didn’t get burned and that old fire extinguisher done it’s job. That fire extinguisher had Halon in it which was an excellent extinguisher and was discontinued in 1994, the same time Freon 12 was discontinued because of Halon. Bad for our Ozone Layer, you understand.

I wonder if a blast of Halon would hurt the ozone more than a entire house burning up?

Laws are weird.

 

[old bear]

"I wonder if a blast of Halon would hurt the ozone more than a entire house burning up?"

Double A +1 for your response.

 

[H Richard]

I have one in the kitchen, one in the master bath room, one in the basement workshop. They are all in the "green", and I do check them a couple times a year.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Kev, I sent those pics to mom a minute ago and she said she couldn't be more relieved that June is all right and how miraculous it was that you were there.

I would dearly love for our moms to meet one day as they are so much alike.

 

[chuckie]

Glad everything worked out for you guys, it could have been a lot worse.

 

[GypsmJim]

We went to one of those promotional seminars about fire protection because they gave us a free Filet dinner. They gave is some real good suggestions, but I thought their prices were Wayyyyy too high.

I took their advice. We now have a linked detector in every room, plus the garage and basement. I put fire extinguishers in our bedroom, kitchen, workshop , garage, and out buildings. We had some before but not to the full extent.

Last year My tractor started on fire. The extinguisher was within reach and it saved the barn and machine.

All in all its a must have.

 

[SMSgt]

Hey, that's great! Really fortunate that you were visiting. Amazing that it worked after 40 years! Glad the damage was not worse.

We keep an aerosol can of fire extinguishing foam in the cabinet above the stove. Bought one for my son's apartment, too. An inexpensive alternative with 30 seconds of fire suppressing foam. (My theory is keep it right there and hit any fire quickly.) Might be a good solution for your mom.

Can you access it when the big pan of grease on the stove is blazing five feet up? Might consider placing it where the fire would not flare up.

 

[Faulkner]

A few years ago I bought a case of fire extinguishers at cost from a buddy who worked for Ansul. I gave them all away that year for Christmas presents although the looks I got was like giving fruit away to Trick or Treaters.

 

[Rudi]

Way to keep cool and focus! Good job.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Kevin, thank heavens you were a) there and b) had noted where it was because clearly no one else did!

I have several around the house and check them for pressure regularly. Nod to SMSgt: The one in my kitchen, like Onomea's, is close to the stove. I'd better move that one.

I'm going to pass this thread on to my gf, who has an extimguisher somewhere in the vicinity of the kitchen, condition unknown!

 

[Kevin G]

Dry Chemical extinguishers should be turned upside down and shook several times periodically. The powder can settle and compact to the point where the extinguisher may not function. This is critical for extinguishers in vehicles and especially boats due to vibration.
Kevin