Supposedly speaking what would you do if your house was on fire: would you try to put out the fire yourselves?

[Anonymous]

Or would you just get out asap? Would a fire extinguisher be useful in this case?

[Effably]

It isn't really that simple as it just depends on how much, where, how etc. First thing would be to simply assess that.

If plausible I'll use the fire extinguisher and handle it myself.
If not, I'll make sure to get people and key items out in a relaxed manner.
If somehow it is too far gone for that too, it'll be a much more perilous and desperate attempt with no regard for items and sentimentals.

Very realistically I will be able to just extinguish it. A fire alarm does typically give enough time for that.
And if not, an alarm should almost certainly give enough time to calmly collect everyone -and thing you need. Most of the time it is less traumatic than we might believe. Of course sometimes, it is also far worse.

[FunkyMonkee]

"Supposedly speaking"? What does that mean?

My house almost WAS on fire about 30 years ago! I just fished eating a pizza that was wrapped in paper and the paper had some of the olive oil on it. I threw the paper into the fireplace and watched it burn. What I didn't know was that the fire itself caused the paper and cardboard the pizza was on to get blown up into the chimney where it stayed and, because of the updraft from outside, set the chimney on fire!! I could hear the roar of the flames from the fireplace but had no idea the flames were shooting out of the chimney!!
I have no idea who called the fire dept. but, it was about 2 or 3 a. m. during the winter and we all had to ruin outside for a while `til the fire was put out.

[exitseven]

I have 4 fire extinguishers around the house. I would call the fire dept while I tried to put the fire out.