Take care with your pan this National Chip Week
13 February 2013
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is urging
chip lovers to take care when they indulge in one of the nation’s
favourite foods this National Chip Week (18 - 24 February
2013).
More than a quarter of the fires in the home attended by KFRS
last year were cooking related*, many sparked by overheated chip
pans. Leaving a chip pan unattended for any length of time can have
disastrous results as the oil can easily overheat and ignite.
Last September, a mother and five children were rescued by a
passer-by from their smoke-logged flat in Margate after a chip pan
of oil overheated, setting light to the kitchen and trapping them
in their home. The family and their rescuer had a lucky escape but
needed hospital treatment for smoke inhalation.
In the last year, cooking fires attended by KFRS fire crews
resulted in 26 casualties, one of which was seriously injured,
showing just how dangerous these fires can be. A further 17 people
needed first aid or precautionary checks at the scene.
Strood firefighters and community safety officers will be
demonstrating the risks involved with cooking with oil and offering
home fire safety advice to shoppers. They will be outside Morrisons
Supermarket in Knight Road, Strood on Wednesday 20 February 2013
between 10am and 12.30pm.
“Chips are a popular choice for mealtimes,” said Stuart Skilton,
KFRS Head of Community Safety. “But the smallest distraction when
using a hot chip pan could lead to a fire in a matter of minutes. A
simple switch from the pan to the oven or a temperature controlled
deep-fat fryer can help prevent the worst.
“Oven chips are a far safer and healthier way to enjoy your
favourite, but if you do choose to deep fat fry please don’t leave
the pan unattended. If your pan does catch light, don’t throw water
over it– get out, stay out and call 999.”
Follow these all-year-round fire safety tips to help
reduce the risk:
- Don’t overfill a chip pan with oil – never fill it more than
one-third full
- Be careful that it doesn’t overheat - hot oil can catch fire
easily
- Use a thermostat-controlled deep-fat fryer, which will make
sure the fat doesn’t get too hot
- Never throw water on a chip pan fire
- Don’t cook after drinking alcohol
- In the event of a fire, have an escape route in place
- Don’t take risks by tackling a fire. Get out, stay out and call
999
- Fit a smoke alarm on each floor of your home and test it
weekly.
For further advice on fire safety visit the website at
www.kent.fire-uk.org or contact the KFRS community safety team on
0800 923 7000.
For more information on National Chip Week:
http://www.lovechips.co.uk/
*KFRS figures: 153 out of 576 accidental dwelling fires (ADFs)
(26.6%) were cooking related during 2012 (1 Jan – 31 Dec). Out of
the 153 cooking ADFs 39 were recorded with a main cause of “Cooking
– chip pan/deep fat fryer”.