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16 December 2009
Careful in the kitchen plea as half fires in Norfolk homes are caused by cooking
Norfolk's fire crews are urging people to be careful in the kitchen over the coming festive period as new figures revealed half of the county's home fires were cooking related.
Figures released by Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service show that of the 200 fires recorded in Norfolk homes between April 1 and August 31 this year exactly 100 were related to cooking.
The breakdown was as follows:
| Ignition Source |
No of fires in the home |
Total % of fires in the home |
| Cooker Incl. oven |
62 |
31% |
| Ring or Hotplate |
19 |
9.5% |
| Grill/Toaster |
8 |
4% |
| Other Cooking Appliance |
4 |
2% |
| Microwave |
4 |
2% |
| Barbecue |
1 |
0.5% |
| Deep fat fryer |
1 |
0.5% |
| Extractor fan |
1 |
0.5% |
Group Manager Richard Herrell, from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service wants everyone to have a happy and safe time over the festive period and beyond. Our most important message is whenever you cook do not get distracted. Many of the fires we attend are where people have left things cooking and forgotten them and in some cases even left the house. If you get called away from the cooker by the phone, or someone at the door - take the pans off the heat. It’s all too easy to forget about them until its too late. It is also worth remembering at this time of year that drinking alcohol and cooking is not a good mix.
The kitchen is simply the most dangerous room in the house and these latest figures prove that to be the case here in Norfolk. If you know what the problems are, you’re on the way to reducing the chances of having a fire in the first place, but its not enough on its own.
We would urge anyone who does have have a cooker or pan fire not to tackle it even with a damp cloth or fire blanket but to turn off the cooker if possible, leave the house closing the door behind you and call 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service."
Group Manager Herrell said Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service offers free Home Fire Risk Checks providing safety advice and fitting smoke detectors. Anyone interested should call Freephone 0800 9178137 or visit www.norfolkfireservice.gov.uk, he added.
Harry Humphrey, Cabinet Member for Fire and Community Protection, said: "These figures are a real wake up call to us all and prove that the kitchen is the most dangerous room in the house. Norfolk County Council is committed to making our safe county even safer and I would urge people to listen to our fire and rescue service and make sure they take extra care in the kitchen."
After releasing the figures Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service issued the following safety advice:
Cooker:
*Keep it clean. Regular cleaning of the oven, hob and grill prevents a build up of fats & greases and bits of food. All of which can start a fire. It’s hygienic too!
*Don’t trail electrical leads over or too close to the cooker.
* Never hang a tea towel or cloths on or over the cooker.
Microwave Ovens:
*Only use these for the purpose for which they were designed.
*Follow cooking guides, especially the times.
*Don’t put anything metallic inside.
*Don’t dry clothing inside the microwave.
Electrical:
*Keep all electrical leads away from water. Do not place plant pots or anything wet on top of appliances.
*Keep the toaster clean and well away from curtains.
*Never overload the socket - ‘If in doubt, pull it out’. The rule is 1 plug per socket, especially if the appliance takes a lot of power (like a kettle).
*Washing machines and Dishwashers should be switched off at night, and serviced regularly.
*Deep fat fryers should be used in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, and well away from curtains.
Gas Boilers & Gas Hobs Cookers:
*Maintain the ventilation to the room at all times.
*Do not place anything onto surfaces, which might get hot.
*Service regularly by approved engineers.
General:
*Fit a sealed 10-year smoke alarm with a hush button. Place it in a hallway close to, but outside of the kitchen. If it activates accidentally, it may be too close to the kitchen.
*Produce and practice a fire plan
*Do NOT tackle the fire yourself.
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