FUZZY FIRE – Employees of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop wait outside as members of the Decatur Fire Department cool things off inside after a grease fire started in the kitchen late Monday afternoon. Messenger photo by Joe Duty
At about 5 p.m. a fire broke out in the kitchen of the restaurant located on the Square in Decatur. An employee poured water on a grease fire and sent flames rocketing to the ceiling.
“I was in the kitchen rolling enchiladas when the fire started next to me,” said Jose Aguero, a cook. “Someone ran over from the bar with a pot of water and threw it on and the fire shot straight up to ceiling.”
No one was injured and the staff and patrons evacuated safely after the fire started. An engine with the Decatur Fire Department arrived just moments after the fire started. The fire was limited to a small area and quickly extinguished.
When a grease fire occurs, it’s usually just the surface of the grease that is burning. And since grease is lighter than water, adding water makes it worse.
Once the water hits the burning grease, it splashes grease everywhere. The water also vaporizes into a cloud of steam carrying the grease with it. The grease wraps around each steam bubble and instantly provides the fuel (grease), with an ample supply of oxygen, over a large space – providing the perfect combination for combustion.
