Abstract: A very simple, safe, and robust device for extinguishing oil well fires consists of an inclined duct which is connected to a vertical duct placed over an oil well fire, and of suitably arranged baffles which are inserted into the inclined dust for redirecting or separating the oil and gas streams. The purpose of the inclined duct is to separate the oil and gas from the two-phase mixture which is produced by a burning well and consequently to decrease the oil evaporation area or volume of combustible gas and starve the fire when the air inflow from the bottom into the vertical duct is reduced or eliminated. The fire-extinguishing device contains only baffles as moving parts which can be operated remotely through pulleys. The separated oil stream can be discharged into the atmosphere or collected into a holding tank until the next phase of work associated with capping of the oil well is initiated, thus reducing the environmental pollution problems and creating a safe zone for personnel to work.