I know nobody here would, but if you put water on a grease fire, depending on how much oil there is, it will explode in a huge fireball.
This is because oil floats on water, so the water almost immediately sinks under the oil, but then, because of the heat stored in the oil, the water will also boil almost instantly. Because the water quickly turned into steam, it also expands quickly, which is an explosion, and all of that burning oil on top of the water will be flung in all directions.
That’s why you should never put water on a grease fire.
There have been cases where tap water was so polluted that it could be lit on fire, so it’s not quite as impossible as you probably think for there to be a “water fire”.
Had a tealight that I thought I’d put out the night before. It smouldered overnight, caught fire and my 5 year old woke me saying she could smell smoke. Half asleep, I poured tea on it.
Fireball to the face and a screaming child was a really unfun way to finish waking up. She was safely out of the blast, and luckily I had only minor burns.
I know nobody here would, but if you put water on a grease fire, depending on how much oil there is, it will explode in a huge fireball.
This is because oil floats on water, so the water almost immediately sinks under the oil, but then, because of the heat stored in the oil, the water will also boil almost instantly. Because the water quickly turned into steam, it also expands quickly, which is an explosion, and all of that burning oil on top of the water will be flung in all directions.
That’s why you should never put water on a grease fire.
But it’s OK to pour grease on a water fire, right?
There have been cases where tap water was so polluted that it could be lit on fire, so it’s not quite as impossible as you probably think for there to be a “water fire”.
Ably demonstrated in the documentary The Simpsons.
or Flint Michigan
That was most likely the inspiration for the episode in question.
Same for wax (candles).
Had a tealight that I thought I’d put out the night before. It smouldered overnight, caught fire and my 5 year old woke me saying she could smell smoke. Half asleep, I poured tea on it.
Fireball to the face and a screaming child was a really unfun way to finish waking up. She was safely out of the blast, and luckily I had only minor burns.