SAN ANTONIO – On Tuesday, San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle, the San Antonio Fire Department and USAA teamed up to spread awareness and share safety tips to prevent kitchen fires.
During a controlled fire demonstration, officials and Castle showed how to safely extinguish a blaze in a burning pan and a trash fire.
Methods included placing a lid on top of a pan to cut off oxygen, covering flames with a fire blanket and using a fire extinguisher to put out burning trash debris.
Officials also demonstrated the incorrect way to put out a fire, which involved tossing water in an attempt to suppress the flames.
SAFD spokesperson Joe Arrington, who narrated Castle’s safety demonstration, said using water was wrong and dangerous because mixing it with the grease can enlarge the flames.
After the demonstration, KSAT asked fire officials and Castle about the importance of kitchen fire safety education.
San Antonio Assistant Fire Chief Christopher Monestier said kitchen fires are common across the country and are the leading cause of structure fires.
He said it wasn’t just a local danger; educating people can help prevent future damage.
“Counts of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Monestier said.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking causes an average of more than 150,000 structure fires annually.
Castle said learning the different methods was helpful for him. While he has never had to put out a fire, he said he feels prepared for anything in the future.
“I don’t really do much around fires,” Castle said. “If I’m around one now, I’m knowledge.”
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