What should you prioritise for personal safety during a galley fire?

• A. Enter the galley immediately to try to extinguish the fire.
• B. Close the cabin door and wait.
• C. Open all galley compartments to ventilate.
• D. Do not put yourself at risk; ensure a safe exit path and only fight fire if trained and safe.

Answer: (D)

In a galley fire, personal safety and a clear exit path come first. Entering the galley to fight the fire right away exposes you to intense heat, smoke, and toxic fumes, which can trap you and prevent you from evacuating quickly. Venturing in to ventilate or search for the fire can worsen conditions and spread the fire by feeding it with more oxygen. Simply closing a door and waiting without ensuring a safe route out may leave you and others unable to escape in time.

The best approach is to focus on getting to a safe exit path, help others evacuate if possible, and alert the crew. If you are trained and the situation is safe to do so, you may attempt to fight a small, contained fire with the proper equipment, but never at the expense of your own safety or the ability to evacuate. This balance—protecting yourself, securing a route out, and applying fire-fighting only when trained and safe—is what reduces risk during a galley fire.