Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) is urging residents to take extra care whilst cooking this Christmas following a series of recent incidents in the county.
The first fire at a house in Leamington saw a resident sustain life-changing burns after an item of traditional clothing caught fire while they were cooking.
The second incident on December 17 was a kitchen fire in Alcester, caused by a pan with fat inside which had been left on the hob.
The family involved in the Leamington incident have released the following statement, to warn others of the importance of cooking safely and taking the right steps should fire break out:
“Mum was staying safe, her scarf was tied to her with apron on top to keep all clothing secure. Sadly it still caught fire and within seconds started to spread. The biggest learning for us from this is the importance of drop and roll, it would have saved mum from the facial burns she has suffered by staying upright. It would have also saved her life if she was on her own and had no one to put the fire out for her.
"Learn how to prevent and remember what to do if there was a fire and if you have to put the flames out.”
WFRS is taking this opportunity to remind Warwickshire residents to be extra careful whilst cooking this Christmas, as fires can easily happen.
Read their top safety tips below:
- Never leave cooking unattended
- Don’t get distracted when you are cooking – turn off or turn down the heat if you have to leave the cooking unattended, for example, to take a phone call or answer the door
- Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing when cooking as this can easily catch light, sometimes without you realising right away
- Don’t cook if you’re under the influence of alcohol. Your concentration levels are lower and the risk of accidents is greater in the kitchen if you have been drinking
- Keep tea towels, clothes and electrical leads away from the cooker and hob
- Make sure saucepan handles are not sticking out from the hob or over a naked flame
- Be careful when deep-fat frying or cooking with oil. Hot oil can catch fire easily – use a thermostat controlled deep-fat fryer which will make sure the fat doesn’t get too hot
If your clothes do catch fire, it’s a natural reaction to panic. However, to ensure fire burn prevention, you should try to remain calm and follow some of these tips - Stop, Drop & Roll.
If your clothes catch fire, you should:
- Stop what you’re doing
- Drop to the ground, covering your face if you can, to prevent the fire spreading to this sensitive area
- Roll over on the source of the flame until the flame goes out
Remember, fires need oxygen to grow and spread. Rolling on the floor prevents oxygen getting to the fire and snuffs it out. If you run, you’re only providing more fuel for the fire, meaning it’ll spread more quickly.
Warwickshire County Councillor, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Fire, Andy Crump said: “Kitchen fires can have devastating consequences, particularly at Christmas when our homes are busier and we have more things distracting us. That’s why it is important to be extra careful when you are cooking.
“Take steps to protect yourself. For example, before you begin cooking, make a checklist of things you can do to ensure you are safe such as tidying the kitchen and workspaces, moving handles away from the hob, tying your hair back and making sure your pans and workspaces are clean and in good working order, as a build up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.
“If you are cooking, never do so under the influence of alcohol and make sure any distractions are kept to a minimum.”
Residents should call 999 immediately in the event of a fire and remove themselves and their families from the affected property and wait for the Fire Service to attend.
Find out more about fire safety on Warwickshire County Council’s website: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafety.