Each year cooking causes more accidental fires in the home than anything else and Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) is supporting the Fire Kills Cooking Safety campaign.
Station Commander Amy Bailey from the Community Risk department, HWFRS said: “More than half of all accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen so it’s essential to take care, especially when cooking with hot oil.”
Station Commander Bailey urged anyone who is cooking to take note of the following safety tips:
Keep your cooker and grill pan clean, burnt food and fat causes fires.
Turn off all electrical appliances and pull out the plugs when not using them.
Cooking becomes dangerous if you drink alcohol, you could become drowsy and not be as safe as you think.
Do not use a toaster under a cupboard.
If you use a chip pan, never fill it more than a third full and stay with it all the time.
Never leave a pan unattended when the heat is switched on and NEVER attempt to move the pan if it should catch fire.
Do not take risks. If a pan should catch fire, turn off the heat only if it’s safe to do so. Never throw water over the pan.
Keep children safely away from the cooking area
Never tackle a fire yourself, but GET OUT, STAY OUT, CALL 999.
SC Bailey concluded: “In addition to the above vital safety advice, I would urge people to test their smoke alarms are working on a weekly basis. If you require further advice on fire safety or would like to call the Community Risk department to see if you qualify for a free Home Fire Safety Check please call 0800 032 1155.”
Further kitchen safety advice is available at www.hwfire.org.uk under the Your Safety section or visit @HWFireSafety
