Very glad to hear you are OK, and no more harm done than a little soot.
In the UK it is common to have a fire blanket in the kitchen for exactly this problem. It is just a flameproof blanket (fibreglass, I think) which you chuck over the fire and starve it of air. Mine have sat in kitchens for years and never been used - but they do no harm, just get dusty.
One thing to remember is, once used, leave for half an hour until all is cool.
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Date: 2011-04-26 12:30 pm (UTC)In the UK it is common to have a fire blanket in the kitchen for exactly this problem. It is just a flameproof blanket (fibreglass, I think) which you chuck over the fire and starve it of air. Mine have sat in kitchens for years and never been used - but they do no harm, just get dusty.
One thing to remember is, once used, leave for half an hour until all is cool.