Fire Extinguishers
Save Lives
See It – Grab It – Use It
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.
Fargo, ND — A neighbor in Fargo, ND is being praised for preventing extensive damage by partially extinguishing a fire believed to be started by unattended cooking oil. The neighbor noticed the fire, rushed into the home with a portable fire extinguisher and kept the fire at bay until firefighters arrived. The damage was estimated at approximately $20,000, though officials say that the neighbor’s actions prevented much more significant damage to the home.
Spring Hill, TN— A 49-year-old Chapel Hill man was trapped in a burning vehicle after he crashed on I-65. As first responders were delayed in reaching the scene due to the lack of nearby exits, other drivers who witnessed the accident stopped and rushed to help. While the man was pinned in his vehicle, bystanders used portable fire extinguishers to contain the flames until emergency personnel could arrive on scene. A Spring Hill Police Officer arrived to provide support, shielding the driver’s face from extinguisher’s discharge until EMS personnel were able to free the man from the vehicle.
Portage, MI — An Amazon delivery driver used a portable fire extinguisher to save an elderly man from a burning home while making a delivery to a senior living community. Upon arriving at the home to make a delivery, he heard screams for help and noticed a fire burning on the man’s stove. The driver ran and got the portable extinguisher from his truck, and although he had never used a fire extinguisher before, he was able to quickly knock down the flames before they could spread. He then assisted the man to safety. The Portage Fire Captain praised the response as a “true act of heroism”. After the fire was out, the driver continued on to finish his delivery route that day.
Tulsa, OK — Firefighters in Tulsa, OK responded to an apartment complex to find one of the apartments on fire. Officials praised the response of one man,Josue Gonzales, who they said helped to save a fellow tenant and prevent the fire from spreading.Gonzales says his training as a hospital employee kicked in as he aided a fellow tenant out of the burning building and then quickly reentered the apartment with a fire extinguisher. He was able to knock down the flames and prevent the fire from spreading as firefighters arrived on the scene. Fire officials said that without Gonzales quick-thinking, the flame may have spread to the rest of the complex. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, and the damage was limited.
Eagle Nest Township, MN — A homeowner in Eagle Nest Township used a portable fire extinguisher to put out a fire on his kitchen stove. The homeowner, Ryan Bajan, had left his groceries on an electric burner which caught on fire. After hearing fire alarms and seeing smoke filling the room, he quickly made sure everyone in the building got to safety. After making sure no one was left in the home, he jumped to action and used the portable extinguisher to extinguish the fire before fire fighters arrived. After the fire was controlled, Bajan told reporters that if he didn’t have the extinguisher, the damage to his home would have been even more severe. He encouraged everyone to keep a fire extinguisher on hand.
Newburyport, MA — A 42-foot boat caught fire at a Newburyport, MA, yacht club due to an electrical malfunction. The owner of another boat saw the fire and immediately called 911. He then used a portable fire extinguisher to control the flames and slow the spread while waiting for responders to arrive.Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen H. Bradbury III commended the boat owner for alerting their department and keeping the fire under control, noting that it “could have been a much worse fire if he hadn’t intervened.”
The Daily News of Newburyport (Newburyport,MA)
Fond du Lac, WI — Residents in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin prevented injury and further damage to their home when they called 911 and used a portable fire extinguisher to fight a porch fire. Firefighters from Fond du Lac Fire Rescue helped extinguish the remainder of the smoldering fire after arriving. Officials confirmed that no one was injured, and the portable fire extinguisher was key in preventing the fire from spreading and saving the home.
FOX 11 News (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Eyota, MN — In Eyota, Minnesota, a 24-year-old babysitter saved the lives of five children when he used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the flames of an electrical fire. The babysitter heard popping sounds coming from the basement of the home and witnessed an electrical panel catch fire. He grabbed a portable fire extinguisher to control the flames, evacuated the children from the home, and called 911. Captain Parkin of Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office credited the babysitter’s quick thinking for preventing injury and further damage.
KROC-AM News (Rochester, Minnesota)
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
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Why Fire Extinguishers are Important
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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.
