How do you turn off a Kerosene lamp?

Answer 1

First, take stock of your surroundings. With an incomplete understanding of the function of your kerosene lamp, you may have to improvise using objects that were not designed to extinguish a lamp. If you have neighbors, you may want to start thinking about which of them you can turn to if the lamp situation cannot be resolved.

The immediate concern is to prepare a fireproof area in which to work. Since you have not named a specific design of lamp, uncertainty is working against us, and every precaution must be taken. Take towels or bedsheets and wet them until dripping in a sink or shower. If possible move a table or other flat surface (the larger the safer) away from walls and cover with the damp cloth. Again, take time to assess routes of escape and possible sources of help (neighbors) should the following procedures go badly.

Using a dry cloth grip the base of the lamp and transfer it to your work area. Here a wet cloth can cause calamity, as it can too quickly cool the lamp, shattering it and spilling kerosene in areas which you have not fireproofed. If this happens abandon the room and immediately go to your neighbor's. Once the lamp is placed on the fireproof table quickly discard the dry cloth. It represents a serious fire hazard.

DO NOT TURN THE LAMP KNOB. This is used to control the length of the wick and without full knowledge of the lamp's operation any adjustment can backfire and cause the lamp to burn at an uncontrollable rate. Instead, take a roll of foil out from your pantry and begin tearing it into shreds. These shreds are virtually the only material that can be used to slowly quench the flame without posing a shatter risk. Fill the lamp body with the aluminum threads and wait. If the lamp does not go out, it is safe to begin adding granular materials (sugar, baking soda, even short-grain rice) to increase the level of quenching.

After the fire is out, wait a few minutes, then shake the quench materials into the damp cloth and discard. After this process is complete, the lamp is returned to it's original state and can be relit at any time.