Frying chips at a friend's (a long time ago)
We were using a deep frying pan and we had got near the end of the bag of frozen chips. So, as we dumped the last few chips on the pan, in went all the ice that was lurking at the bottom of the bag.

Up went a fireball (I had managed to jump out the way at this time) but I noticed that the ceiling was polystyrene and the fireball was looking like it might set it off.

Of course I knew about the whole wet tea-towel thing. I knew how to deal with it. But seeing the fire going up towards the ceiling made me panic a little.

I threw open the door, grabbed the burning pan and tried to take it across the kitchen and out into the yard. It was only a few feet really, so it should have been easy.

It was easy ... up until I looked down to see that as I had sloshed the fat about a bit, the fire was now merrily climbing up my arm as bits of burning fat spat out (the pan was in front of me so the flame was pushing back as I moved).

At this point, I just threw the pan out the door with a bit of a yelp. In fact the fire was out before the pan hit the ground due to the dispersal of the fat as it flew through the air.

The ceiling was saved and apart from a few minor burns, I was fine. All we had to do now was explain the very battered frying pan to my friend's parents.
( Hagbard ... it's been a long time., Fri 4 Nov 2005, 23:14, Reply)