Advice issued after crews called to Cannock kitchen fire

Look when you cook

Officers from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue are reminding residents to take extra care in the kitchen after crews were called out to a fire in Cannock.

Crews from Cannock attended a property in Mosswood Street shortly before 5:30pm on Monday (17 May) following reports a small fire had taken hold in the kitchen.

Two breathing apparatus and a hose reel jet were used to extinguish the blaze which had started after items had been left on top of the cooker. Crews then ventilated the kitchen, making the area safe.

In the last five years, 61% of fires in Staffordshire homes began in the kitchen with people becoming increasingly distracted when cooking.

Station Manager, Dez Stoddart

All occupants had left the property before crews arrived and no one was hurt.

Dez Stoddart, Station Manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said: “Incidents like these are relatively commonplace in the home and are known to have serious consequences.

“In the last five years, 61% of fires in Staffordshire homes began in the kitchen with people becoming increasingly distracted when cooking.

“Fortunately, most of these were dealt with quickly, safely and without injury but we still want to remind people that they take extra care when in the kitchen and prevent incidents like this from happening in the first place.”

Our Top 10 cooking tips are:

  1. Look when you cook. Take any pans off the heat if you have to leave the room. If your pan does catch fire do not remove or attempt to extinguish it. Get out!
  2. Do not use a chip pan, use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer instead
  3. Do not leave children alone in the kitchen whilst cooking with the hob or oven
  4. Do not place anything metallic in the microwave
  5. Keep electrical leads away from water and keep electrical leads and cloths away from the hob
  6. Avoid cooking if you have been drinking alcohol
  7. Keep the oven and grill clean, a build-up of fat and grease may catch fire
  8. Take care if wearing lose clothing as it can easily catch fire particularly when using the hob
  9. When you have finished cooking, double check that you have turned off the oven
  10. Do not use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer.

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