Firefighters urge public to stay safe at home after three cooking fires

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is urging residents to be safe in the kitchen after they were called to three fires involving cooking in around eight hours.

At 6:58pm on Thursday 6 January 2022 three fire engines from Cheadle, Stockport and Offerton attended a fire involving food in a microwave on Crossefield Road, Cheadle Hulme. One casualty suffered smoke inhalation and received oxygen therapy from firefighters.

An hour later at 7:59pm three fire engines from Bolton Central, Bolton North and Horwich attended a fire on Lowside Avenue, Bolton involving a pan of oil in the kitchen.

The fire was extinguished with a dry powder extinguisher and a positive pressure ventilation fan was used. One casualty suffered smoke inhalation and attended hospital.

Then at 3:21am on Friday 7 January 2022 three fire engines from Manchester Central, Broughton and Agecroft attended Irlam Square, Salford where an oven in the kitchen was on fire.

Crews used a dry powder extinguisher and positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire. One casualty suffered smoke inhalation and was administered oxygen by crews before being taken to hospital by ambulance.

Around half of accidental fires in the home are cooking-related, but there are steps you can take to help prevent them.

Greater Manchester residents can now get personalised advice to keep their homes safe from fire by using GMFRS’ new online Home Fire Safety Check tool. This is available on our website, and members of the public can complete a home fire safety check to help identify fire hazards in their home and get advice on simple changes that can reduce the risk of a fire.

GMFRS Head of Prevention, Area Manager Paul Duggan said: “Cooking fires account for most incidents our firefighters attend in the home and luckily these fires didn’t result in more serious injuries.

“Make sure you have smoke alarms fitted in your property and don’t leave your cooking unattended as it can have serious consequences. If there is something urgent that needs dealing with simply turn off the cooking appliance to ensure that nothing can start burning, smoking or worse - setting on fire.

“You can now use our new online fire safety check to help take simple steps to keep yourself, your loved ones and your home safe from fire.”

If your pan catches fire:

• Don't panic and don't take risks
• Don't move the pan
• Never throw water or use a water fire extinguisher on a hot fat fire
• If it's safe to do so - turn off the heat, but never lean over the pan to reach the controls
• Leave the kitchen, close the door behind you, tell everyone else in the home to get out and don't go back inside for any reason
• Call 999

More cooking fire safety advice can be found on our website.

07/01/2022 17:32 PM