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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Throwing water on an out of control Bunsen burner flame. Yes or no?

61 replies

ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:32

Setting is a dental surgery. I'll provide more context shortly, but for now I just want to get some reactions to the question.

YABU = this is OK
YANBU = this isn't the right procedure

OP posts:
MigGirl · 18/11/2025 17:39

TBH it takes very little gass to make a smell. That's the whole point of the smell, even the student fiddling with the gass taps when it's turn off can make a lab smell a bit. There is residual gass in the pipes, but even without pressure from the gass it defuses out.

SerendipityJane · 18/11/2025 17:39

Really useful to get some opinions around this.

Fire safety doesn't need opinions. It needs hard facts based in science.

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 17:37

SilenceInside · 18/11/2025 16:57

@ruethewhirl the orthodontist that does my son's braces uses a small blowtorch to adjust new wires for the braces before fitting them, so I wonder if it's similar for dentures, as they have a wire element I think? Whatever they were doing, it sounds unsafe and that they didn't have a clear process to follow in case of any issues.

You've just put your finger on what disconcerted me about this - the lack of any apparent protocol, which made it harder for me to accept any reassurances that things were under control.

OP posts:
Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 17:33

Ophy83 · 18/11/2025 17:25

Yes it should kill the flame, unless something else has caught fire in the interim

Ah thanks. In that case the gas wasn't off. Weird that none of his colleagues suggested that!

OP posts:
GordonRamsey · 18/11/2025 17:31

Throw a chip pan of fat over it.

I'm joking of course!

We don't use fat in chip pans anymore, we use Crisp 'N' Dry oil.

Dollymylove · 18/11/2025 17:28

Simonjt · 18/11/2025 16:48

Fire triangle

In this case remove the fuel, rather than dampen down the flames as not only could it re-ignite, you don’t want to leave the gas in in a panic. Gas would be powder extinguisher, not water.

In year 10 I lit the rubber tube attached to one of the gas taps in science, it was great fun and worth the punishment!

We lit the gas taps in chemistry. Can't imagine why they trusted a bunch of 13 year old around flammable substances 🤣

Ophy83 · 18/11/2025 17:25

Yes it should kill the flame, unless something else has caught fire in the interim

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 17:16

Really useful to get some opinions around this. I think the dentist probably did just panic and I did sympathise with him as it was evident he was shaken up. He kept saying he'd never seen it before in 20+ years of dentistry so I guess it won't have been on his radar particularly, but I would have expected his health and safety training to be up to snuff.

But I do wonder why the gas supply wasn't turned off. Tbf I guess it might have been turned off eventually, but not before the smell of gas was in the air, which was unnerving to say the least. One of the staff said it was 'normal' and I'm not necessarily disputing that, but given what I'd just seen it wasn't easy to feel fully reassured.

I dunno, we did receive repeated apologies which I accepted, we're all human etc. It was also explained to me that [can't remember the exact terminology used] basically the burners were certified safe to use and couldn't cause the building to catch fire. But this wasn't explained till after the event, and there was more than a hint of defensiveness in the mix. And I'm still unnerved that there were a bunch of staff in there eventually, all standing around with what appeared to be little idea to how to deal with the situation.

(ETA: re gas, when the supply is shut off does that instantly kill the flame? Excuse my ignorance, I dropped school science lessons at the earliest opportunity, which was many yonks ago. 😄)

OP posts:
TheGreyHam · 18/11/2025 16:58

Having set a few bunsens alight with dripped dental materials I can sympathise. Off at the gas tap is best.

Usually what happens is molten wax or similar drips inside and causes the flame to come from the base. People often don't bother to keep them clean so it happens quite easily.

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:57

MadeOneMistakeGotBurnedAtTheStake · 18/11/2025 16:56

Rather apt username Grin

Show quote history

I wondered if pp had NC'd specially for this thread, tbf... 😄

OP posts:
SilenceInside · 18/11/2025 16:57

@ruethewhirl the orthodontist that does my son's braces uses a small blowtorch to adjust new wires for the braces before fitting them, so I wonder if it's similar for dentures, as they have a wire element I think? Whatever they were doing, it sounds unsafe and that they didn't have a clear process to follow in case of any issues.

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 18/11/2025 16:57

I assume something unexpected caught fire in the flame - and it was a never seen that before reaction - and weren't thinking health and safety training - which suggests it needs updating/re-doing. Though turning of teh gas should have been thought of.

One of my secondary science teacher broke a conatiner of strong acid while doing something in fornt of the entire class stood still and then ran off screaming to tech support ignoring nearer sinks - had to come back in and say don't do what I just did - this is how to deal with that situation.

MadeOneMistakeGotBurnedAtTheStake · 18/11/2025 16:56

GasPanic · 18/11/2025 16:47

Shouldn't there be some sort of safety procedure, risk assessment for this happening ?

And if so you should refer to that re what action you should take rather than a poll on here by randoms who have no clue.

Rather apt username Grin

Simonjt · 18/11/2025 16:55

ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:51

Gosh, I'm relieved to see the general tone of responses so far as I feel like I've just been treated as strange to react like I did.

This happened at my mum's dental appointment this afternoon and I gather the burner was being used in some element of creating my mum's dentures. Events are somewhat blurry given it's not every day you see this sort of thing, but it was basically a 'whoa!' from the dentist that confirmed I was seeing something that shouldn't be happening, it's hard to articulate but there was just ... way too much flame, if that makes sense. And I don't know if there were two burners on the go or what, but at one point there were definitely two such flames on the counter of the surgery.

Myself and my mum were well out of the way of the flames, but the handfuls of water were making very little difference. He called his colleagues in to 'observe' and at one point asked for a photo to be taken?! All the while, tbf, apologising to me and my mum, but... it was unnerving that he seemed to be out of his depth with this. Eventually(!) someone suggested bringing the fire blanket and this duly took place but the dentist kept lifting it to see if the flames were out.

I asked for us to be moved to another surgery when I started to smell gas. This request was treated with a degree of surprise.

Ah, likely using a metal which has then dripped onto the bunsen and ignited, fairly common but would cause a larger flame.

MigGirl · 18/11/2025 16:54

Absolutely No, with a bunsen (I work in science at a high school). You either turn of at the tap if possible or hit the emergency gass stop at the from of the room.

The problem with water is it could extinguish the flame leaving you will unignited gass coming out of the tap. This could then reignite into a explosive accident.

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:54

And apologies if I alarmed anyone who might have thought this was an ongoing scenario. I guess I should have clarified that I am a sane individual and not one of the loons who surf on to Mumsnet at regular intervals. 😄

OP posts:
PodMom · 18/11/2025 16:54

Dunno but think I’d have started filming for a TikTok 🤣

Fiftyandme · 18/11/2025 16:53

Shut off the gas???

Breadcat24 · 18/11/2025 16:52

no turn the gas off and then smother

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:52

GasPanic · 18/11/2025 16:47

Shouldn't there be some sort of safety procedure, risk assessment for this happening ?

And if so you should refer to that re what action you should take rather than a poll on here by randoms who have no clue.

Hopefully my reply provides sufficient further context.

OP posts:
SerendipityJane · 18/11/2025 16:52

Did you get the job ?

Original poster
ruethewhirl · 18/11/2025 16:51

Gosh, I'm relieved to see the general tone of responses so far as I feel like I've just been treated as strange to react like I did.

This happened at my mum's dental appointment this afternoon and I gather the burner was being used in some element of creating my mum's dentures. Events are somewhat blurry given it's not every day you see this sort of thing, but it was basically a 'whoa!' from the dentist that confirmed I was seeing something that shouldn't be happening, it's hard to articulate but there was just ... way too much flame, if that makes sense. And I don't know if there were two burners on the go or what, but at one point there were definitely two such flames on the counter of the surgery.

Myself and my mum were well out of the way of the flames, but the handfuls of water were making very little difference. He called his colleagues in to 'observe' and at one point asked for a photo to be taken?! All the while, tbf, apologising to me and my mum, but... it was unnerving that he seemed to be out of his depth with this. Eventually(!) someone suggested bringing the fire blanket and this duly took place but the dentist kept lifting it to see if the flames were out.

I asked for us to be moved to another surgery when I started to smell gas. This request was treated with a degree of surprise.

OP posts:
SilenceInside · 18/11/2025 16:51

Agree with turn off the gas if safe to do so, and use a fire blanket or appropriate fire extinguisher, if those items were available which I really hope they would be if this was an expected activity in a workplace.

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 18/11/2025 16:50

Cut off the gas and try smoothering if anything else is on fire.

I'd worry water could be like a pan fire - or very least risk of steam and risk of tempertaure differences shattering any potential glassware involved.

Simonjt · 18/11/2025 16:48

Fire triangle

In this case remove the fuel, rather than dampen down the flames as not only could it re-ignite, you don’t want to leave the gas in in a panic. Gas would be powder extinguisher, not water.

In year 10 I lit the rubber tube attached to one of the gas taps in science, it was great fun and worth the punishment!