Cooking left on stove leads to flat fire
Firefighters have urged people to avoid cooking while tired, after a couple in Thurrock fell asleep in the early hours of Sunday morning with food on their stove.
Smoke from the fire in the ground floor flat was spotted by a passer-by, who was unable to wake the couple but alerted the fire service.
Crews gained entry to the property and extinguished the fire by 4.10am. Fortunately, no-one was harmed. The kitchen has suffered from smoke damage.
Watch Manager Kevin Hercock, Grays Fire Station, said: "This incident once again highlights how dangerous it is to cook while tired - it's incredibly easy to fall asleep and put your own life at risk.
"On this occasion, there was no working smoke alarm in the property - so the couple involved were very fortunate that a passer-by called 999.
"Please, if you're going to eat late at night or after a night shift, try and prepare something in advance or eat something that doesn't require cooking."
Not got working smoke alarms in your home? We offer them for free!
Before leaving the property, firefighters fitted a smoke alarm. We want every home in Essex to be provided with the excellent protection that smoke alarms provide - they could make all the difference in alerting you to a fire in time to get you and your family out safely.
If you don't currently have working smoke alarms in your home, get in touch with us - we'll provide them for free.
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Cooking fire safety advice
More than half of accidental fires in the home are started by cooking - it can be incredibly dangerous if precautions aren't taken.
- Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.
- Make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked off the stove.
- Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire.
- Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
- Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking.
- Take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk.