How to Put Out a Gas Fire

Co-authored by David Decker

Last Updated: February 9, 2024

Natural gas fires can be caused by things like gas appliances or by a gas leak that catches a spark and lights on fire. These types of fires are emergencies and you need to contact the proper authorities in order to put the fire out and make sure there are no more fire risks. A less serious type of fire caused by gas is when the gas flames on a grill light grease on fire, causing your grill to catch fire. You can put this type of gas fire out by turning off the gas and smothering the flames.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Dealing with Burning Natural Gas

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1
Shut off the gas supply at the shut-off valve if you can safely reach it. Turn the valve all the way to the right to close it. Do not attempt to shut off the gas if you risk coming into contact with the fire to do so.
- This applies mostly in cases of gas appliance fires for which you could turn off the gas supply at the appliance shut-off valve or at the meter valve. If you have a gas leak, such as from a broken gas line, then turning off the valve would not necessarily shut it off.
Warning: Don’t attempt to put out a gas fire yourself with water or anything else. The only thing you can do to stop a natural gas fire from burning is to shut off the supply of the gas.
2
Evacuate the building in case of any gas leaks. Get everyone outside and move them as far away as you can get from the premises if you have a gas leak. There is a risk of explosion, so it is very important to evacuate and let the utility company and fire department deal with the situation, rather than attempt to put it out yourself.
- Even if there is a gas leak and it is not burning, you still need to get out of the building and notify the proper authorities. Any spark could cause the gas leak to turn into an explosion.
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3
Call the utility company immediately to have them shut off the gas supply. The utility company is equipped to safely shut off the gas at its source in the case of a gas fire. Find the number online if you don’t have it or skip to calling 911 and the fire department will be able to notify the utility company.
- If the gas fire is burning out of control or spreading and there is immediate danger of the building lighting on fire, then just call 911 (or your local emergency number). If it is a small, controlled fire and there isn't immediate danger of anything else lighting on fire, then you can contact the utility company first to come and shut off the gas.
4
Call the fire department to come and inspect the premises. Dial 911 or your local emergency number and tell the operator that you have or had a gas fire. The fire department will come to put out the fire and inspect the premises to make sure that there are no more gas leaks or fire risks.
- This is advisable even if the utility company was able to turn off the gas supply and put out the fire. The fire department is more experienced in assessing fire risks, so they will be able to examine the property and surroundings to make sure that the issue will not repeat itself.
- In the case of gas leaks, it’s especially important for the fire department to inspect the premises and surrounding buildings for gas that has migrated and to make sure that the burning gas is the only risk.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Putting Out a Grease Fire on a Gas Grill

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1
Turn off the grill’s burners to cut off the gas supply. Turn the dials on your grill whichever direction they turn off in so they stop supplying gas to the grill. This will stop giving new flames to the grease that is burning so you can safely put it out.^{[1]
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- If it isn’t safe to turn off the burner dials for your grill, then you can also shut off the gas supply at the propane tank by twisting the valve all the way to the right to close it.
2
Cover the flames with something to cut off the oxygen supply. Attempt to smother the fire by putting something on top of it, such as a turned over pot or pan. Anything that covers the flames and is not flammable will work.^{[2]
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- Never dump water on a grease fire to try to put it out. The water can just spread the fire and make it worse.
3
Dump baking soda on the flame until it goes out if you can’t smother it. The fire might be too big to smother in some cases or you might not have something that you can cover it with. Grab a box of baking soda and just pour it onto the burning grease to put out the fire.^{[3]
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- If you don’t have baking soda, salt can also work to smother the fire.
- Don't use flour or sugar to try and smother the flames because they are both flammable.
Warning: Don’t use a pressurized fire extinguisher except as a last resort. The pressurized stream can spread the grease and the fire. If you absolutely have to use a fire extinguisher, then stand far away when you spray it and keep spraying until you have completely extinguished the fire.
4
Clean the grill with a wire brush to remove any flammable residue. Scrub the grill thoroughly with a wire brush or grill brush to get all of the grease and flammable crusty bits off. This is also important to get off any baking soda residue if you used baking soda to smother the flames.^{[4]
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- Keeping your gas grill clean by scrubbing it thoroughly with a brush after each use will prevent most serious grease fires in the future.

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How do I prevent gas fires?

David Decker
Firefighting Expert
David Decker is a Firefighting Expert based in Newark, Ohio. Assistant Chief Decker was a career firefighter for 32+ years at Newark Fire Department and served as an Assistant Chief for 14 years. As Assistant Chief, he was in charge of department operations and training. He is now the owner of Command Vision, a fire training company focusing on incident command. He also has a YouTube channel where he uploads dash-cam videos captured at fire scenes that serve as training material for fire officers who want to expand their knowledge. The channel features over 40 structure fire videos and has garnered 55k followers and more than 15 million views.

David Decker

Firefighting Expert

Expert Answer

To prevent house fires, exercise caution and ensure that fire-starting materials are out of reach for children. Store lighters, matches, and other ignitable items securely. This reduces the risk of accidental fires caused by children accessing these materials. Additionally, never leave cooking unattended, especially when frying or using oil. Keep flammable items like dish towels and oven mitts away from the stove, and always have a lid nearby to smother small grease fires. Regularly clean cooking appliances and ensure they're free from grease buildup to minimize fire risk.

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Warnings

Don’t try to put out a natural gas fire yourself. Shut off the gas supply only if it is safe to do so, then let the utility company and fire department deal with it.

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Don’t use water to put out a grease fire on a gas grill. Only use a fire extinguisher as a last resort and stand far back when you do so.

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Don't dump sugar or flour on a gas grill fire because they will both just burn up.

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