Narrative:

As we were climbing through approximately 8000' a F/a called to say that we had a fire in the aft galley and they were using fire extinguishers. Considering the nature of the problem, the close proximity of the airports, and not knowing how bad the fire was, I elected to go back to cvg. I assumed control of the aircraft and the had first officer call the center. He requested immediate clearance back to cvg. The center suggested a right turn to a heading of 360 degrees and cleared us direct to the airport. The center then handed us over the cvg tower which gave us a landing clearance immediately. We were in the process of doing the checklist when the F/a called back saying the fire was out. A second passenger announcement was made telling the passenger everything was all right but we were going to have maintenance check the airplane. From the time of the first call to landing was approximately 5 mins. The support from ZID and the cvg tower was outstanding. The F/a's did an excellent job in that they called us immediately to let us know of the situation and they did everything right in putting out the fire. I thought it was a great team effort handled efficiently in a situation that could possible have been disastrous. Supplemental information from acn 111461. We returned to the gate where our maintenance people checked the aft galley and found only charred residue from previous use. The oven was replaced and the flight continued on to destination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT GALLEY FIRE DURING CLIMB. RETURN AND LAND. EMERGENCY.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLBING THROUGH APPROX 8000' A F/A CALLED TO SAY THAT WE HAD A FIRE IN THE AFT GALLEY AND THEY WERE USING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. CONSIDERING THE NATURE OF THE PROB, THE CLOSE PROX OF THE ARPTS, AND NOT KNOWING HOW BAD THE FIRE WAS, I ELECTED TO GO BACK TO CVG. I ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND THE HAD F/O CALL THE CENTER. HE REQUESTED IMMEDIATE CLRNC BACK TO CVG. THE CENTER SUGGESTED A RIGHT TURN TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS AND CLRED US DIRECT TO THE ARPT. THE CENTER THEN HANDED US OVER THE CVG TWR WHICH GAVE US A LNDG CLRNC IMMEDIATELY. WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE CHKLIST WHEN THE F/A CALLED BACK SAYING THE FIRE WAS OUT. A SECOND PAX ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE TELLING THE PAX EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT BUT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE MAINT CHK THE AIRPLANE. FROM THE TIME OF THE FIRST CALL TO LNDG WAS APPROX 5 MINS. THE SUPPORT FROM ZID AND THE CVG TWR WAS OUTSTANDING. THE F/A'S DID AN EXCELLENT JOB IN THAT THEY CALLED US IMMEDIATELY TO LET US KNOW OF THE SITUATION AND THEY DID EVERYTHING RIGHT IN PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT TEAM EFFORT HANDLED EFFICIENTLY IN A SITUATION THAT COULD POSSIBLE HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 111461. WE RETURNED TO THE GATE WHERE OUR MAINT PEOPLE CHKED THE AFT GALLEY AND FOUND ONLY CHARRED RESIDUE FROM PREVIOUS USE. THE OVEN WAS REPLACED AND THE FLT CONTINUED ON TO DEST.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.