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Cooking Fire Safety

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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
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
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.