Advice issued after kitchen fires

A pair of kitchen fires have resulted in service-wide advice being issued by the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The blazes were caused by a toaster and a chip pan, and while they were well outside of our readership area in west Wales, the service has asked us to share the advice to stop them becoming more commonplace.

Station Manager Neil Evans, Deputy Head of Community Safety, said: “Between January 2019 and January 2020, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have attended 323 kitchen fires.

“Whether you are a novice in the kitchen or consider your culinary skills worthy of a Michelin Star, safety must come first!”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have asked that the following advice be shared when cooking:

·      Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.

·      Make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked over

·      Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire.

·      Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.

·      Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking.

·      Take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking – take pans off the heat or turn hobs down to avoid risk.

Also care must be taken with electrics:

·      Keep electrics (leads and appliances) away from water.

·      Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls.

·      Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.

If you must deep fat fry your food:

·      Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily.

·      Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil so it doesn’t splash.

·      If the oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.

·      Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer. They can’t overheat.

·      If your pan catches fire

·      Don’t take any risks. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Never throw water over it.

·      Don’t tackle the fire yourself – Get Out, Stay Out, Call 999.

Finally, please ensure that you have working smoke alarms installed; test them every week and make sure that you have a clear escape route.

“We urge the public to stay safe and to contact us on 0800 169 1234 at any time if they require advice on being safe from fire and how to reduce the risk of a fire starting in the first place,” Neil added.

To request a free Safe and Well from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, please visit our website www.mawwfire.gov.uk or telephone 0800 169 1234.