MythBusters · Video summary

Is It Possible To Pull Off Extreme Escapes In A Dense City Environment? | MythBusters | S5 E27

Mythbusters explores grease fire myths, the possibility of microwaving C4, and using cheese as cannonballs with surprising results.

MythBusters · March 24, 2026 · 49-min episode · 7-min read

Is It Possible To Pull Off Extreme Escapes In A Dense City Environment? | MythBusters | S5 E27

Key takeaways

🚀Never throw water on a grease fire; instead, use a fire extinguisher or smother the flames.05:07
💡Pouring water into a grease fire causes a steam explosion that dramatically expands the flames, carrying burning oil upwards.06:31
🎯Microwaving C4 alone does not cause detonation because C4 is not significantly heated by microwaves and lacks the necessary shockwave.12:22
🚀Adding a blasting cap to C4 in a microwave can cause detonation, as the heat and shockwave from the microwave, combined with the cap, are sufficient.22:27
💡Understand that Hollywood depictions of explosives in microwaves are often inaccurate and do not account for the specific detonation requirements.23:15
🔧When dealing with large-scale fires, consider the appropriate volume of extinguishing agent and environmental factors like wind and containment.38:16

Chapters

1:52🔥 Grease Fire Introduction
4:10🔬 Canola Oil Test
6:00📈 Canola Oil Results
7:26💥 Microwave C4 Myth Introduction
11:03🤖 Microwave C4 Test Setup
11:54⚫ Test 1: C4 Alone
13:23🛢️ Peanut Oil Test
14:12⬆️ Peanut Oil Results
18:35🎬 Test 2: C4 with Hollywood Wires
21:49💣 Test 3: C4 with Blasting Cap
24:05💧 Scaling Up the Grease Fire Experiment
29:32🧀 Cheese as Cannonball Myth Introduction
31:33🔬 Cheese Properties Analysis
37:55🚒 Full-Scale Grease Fire Test
38:58💯 Full-Scale Grease Fire Success
40:28🥫 Escalating the Grease Fire: Soup Can
41:41🚀 Soup Can Explosion Result
42:32💥 Edom Cheese Test
43:46💨 Gouda Cheese Test
44:23🎯 Gatcha Cheese Test
47:10🚁 Final Grease Fire Test with Helicopter
47:33✅ Grease Fire Extinguished

The digest

MythBusters: Investigating Kitchen Catastrophes and Combat Ammunition

This episode of MythBusters tackles three distinct myths: the explosive potential of a grease fire ignited by water, the possibility of detonating C4 with a microwave, and the historical use of cheese as cannonballs. The team scientifically tests these claims, aiming to separate fact from fiction with their signature blend of experimentation and entertainment, providing practical insights into fire safety and historical warfare.