RESIDENTS were evacuated from sheltered accommodation in Saffron Walden after unattended cooking started a small fire.
Firefighters were called to Farmadine House at 2.51pm yesterday (Monday January 30).
Station Officer Paul Curtis, of the town’s fire service, said: “Staff (at the complex) had done a great job and evacuated everyone by the time we got there.
"The fire was out when crews arrived but a ground floor flat was heavily smoke logged and we traced the fire to a grill pan which had been left on."
Two crews from Walden dealt with the incident.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service Assistant Divisional Officer Chris Noakes said: "Incidents like this show how even the smallest fire in a kitchen can cause huge problems.
“If a fire does break out in your kitchen then do not attempt to tackle it yourself. Just get yourself and your family out and call the fire service. We can deal with the fire safely and quickly.
“The best advice I can give is make sure that you fit, and regularly test, a smoke alarm. It is the single most important piece of safety equipment in any home. A smoke alarm provides vital warning that a fire has broken out waking sleeping people up and giving everyone time to get safely out.”
To make sure you stay as safe as possible in the kitchen:
- Avoid leaving cooking unattended and never leave children in the kitchen alone.
- Take care if you are wearing loose clothing, it can easily catch fire.
- Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
- Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls
- Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.
- Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily. If the oil starts to smoke then it is too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool. Ideally cook oven chips but if you are deep fat frying then use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer which does not overheat.
