Cooking is one of the major causes of fires in the home. Please take care in the kitchen and follow these simple tips to stay safe when cooking
![Cooking fire house crop](/sites/default/files/2023-04/cooking_fire_crop.jpg)
Please remember it only takes one accident to cause a fire.
- Keep your cooker clean
- Do not leave cooking unattended
- Keep saucepan handles out of the reach of children
- Take care if wearing loose clothing or using tea towels that can easily catch fire
- If hot oil is smoking, turn it down and leave it to cool
- Never throw water on burning oil.
- Double check all appliances are off when you've finished cooking.
Chip Pan Fires
We encourage you to choose a different way to cook. Heating oil to a high temperature or cooking food that releases a lot of fat can overheat and catch fire easily.
How to use a chip pan safely:
- If smoke begins to appear, the oil is too hot. Immediately turn of the heat and allow the oil to cool before adding anything to it
- When adding oil or fat to the pan, only fill the pan up to one-third full
- Never leave the pan unattended when the heat is turned on. Ensure you always keep children away from the cooking area
- Dry the food that is going to be added to the fat or oil to stop it from spitting or bubbling over
![chip pan fire demo](/sites/default/files/styles/highlight_panel_mobile/public/2023-04/2_0.png?h=56e92088&itok=q3L7jPWn)
When a chip pan fire occurs:
- Don’t panic
- Turn off the heat under the pan, only if is safe to do so. Allow the pan and oil to completely cool - for at least half an hour
- Do not move or remove the pan from the hob
- Never throw water onto to the fire, this will result into the oil exploding over everything around the pan and the fire will immediately spread.
- Don’t attempt to tackle the fire – vacate the area, close the door, get everyone out of the property and call 999
- Don’t use a fire extinguisher on a pan of oil - the force of the extinguisher can spread the fire
Remember to always have a fitted smoke alarm on each floor of your home to ensure any sign of a fire is detected immediately. Always test your smoke alarm at least once a month. For anyone that is vulnerable and lives alone, book them in for a home fire safety visit.