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Kitchen Blaze Sets Woman's Hair On Fire

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TBO.com

Published: February 6, 2009

A St. Petersburg woman's hair caught fire when she tried extinguishing a grease fire at her home with water, according to St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue.

Firefighters came to a blaze at the single-story home at 2425 4th Ave. S. on Thursday night. They immediately put the fire out and determined a pot of unattended hot oil had caused the blaze, Lt. Joel Granata said.

The 40-year-old woman suffered burns to the head and neck. Some of the burns were first degree or second degree, and the woman was taken to Tampa General Hospital.

St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue isn't releasing the victim's name.

"Never, never put water on a grease fire!" a St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue news release states. "What you might not know, it doesn't take much water to make a grease fire explode. When a small amount of water, just a few ounces, is tossed on to the super-heated grease, the water turns to steam immediately. It expands rapidly like a fireball. That steam carries the grease with it and creates a bigger fire."

Firefighters say the best thing people can do is to put a lid on the burning pot, turn the stove's heat off, get out of the home and call 911.

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