Lafayette Firefighters Tackle Grease Fire at Wendy’s on Ambassador Caffery

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - A grease fire at Wendy's required the efforts of the Lafayette Fire Department to get it under control, and the restaurant will be closing temporarily as a result.

The Wendy's on Ambassador faced an unexpected grease fire early Saturday afternoon when a fryer caught on fire. Employees were able to activate the fryer's built-in fire suppression system to suppress the flames.

A spokesperson for the Lafayette Fire Department told KATC that while no one was injured, the building suffered enough damage to force it to close. That damage comes from not just the fire, but also intense heat and smoke damage that will require repairs and cleaning.

Fighting a Grease Fire

The Wendy's fryer had a hood suppression system, according to the KATC report, but what happens if you have a grease fire at home?

Grease fires are different than your typical fire, and require more than using water to fight it - in fact, adding water is something you don't want to do if grease is involved.

According to the website FireRescue1, you should follow these steps when fighting a grease fire:

4 STEPS TO PUTTING OUT A GREASE FIRE

1. Cover the flames with a metal lid or cookie sheet. Leave the cover on until it has cooled.

2. Turn off the heat source.

3. If it’s small and manageable, pour baking soda or salt on it to smother the fire.

4. As a last resort, spray the fire with a Class B dry chemical fire extinguisher.

"It’s also important to remember," the website adds, "that three out of five non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victim tried to fight the fire themselves. The most common injuries sustained were burns to the hands and lower arms."

If you find yourself facing a grease fire, don't attempt to do all the work yourself if it is getting out of hand. If there's a fire, you need to call the fire department quickly.