Restaurants flood kitchens to stop fires

It sounds bonkers, but it's a clever trick to keep cooks safe

By Smartasaurus· 2 min read Future-bending

If you walk into a high-end restaurant kitchen

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The short version

It sounds bonkers, but it's a clever trick to keep cooks safe
The speed of the reaction is so violent it often extinguishes the fire before the cook has time to reach for a handheld extinguisher.
Strangely, most of these systems are entirely mechanical and require no electricity to function.

If you walk into a high-end commercial kitchen, there is a good chance the ceiling is aiming a chemical weapon at the stove. It isn't there to wash the dishes; it is waiting for the precise moment the chef loses control of a grease fire to turn the entire room into a giant, slippery marshmallow.

Water is usually a disaster for a deep fryer because a single drop will sink, boil instantly, and explode into a fireball of atomized oil. To stop this, engineers designed a system that turns the grease itself into soap.

When the heat reaches a breaking point, a fusible link melts, snapping a tension wire that triggers an overhead tank. Instead of just water, the nozzles spray a potassium-based alkaline liquid. This liquid reacts with the burning fats in a process called saponification. Within seconds, the surface of the fire turns into a thick, soapy foam that cuts off oxygen and locks the heat inside.

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