Firefighters issue safety warning after woman injured in chip pan fire

Firefighters from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service have issued an urgent safety warning after a resident was injured while attempting to extinguish a chip pan fire with water.

Fire crews from Loughton and London Fire Brigade Hainault responded to reports of a kitchen fire near Limes Avenue, Chigwell on Wednesday 10 July.

Watch Manager Glenn Jackson said: "The resident attempted to tackle the chip pan fire using a dog bed and then water. This unfortunately made the fire worse, resulting in the resident suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

The fire service is keen to correct dangerous outdated advice which wrongly recommends people use water or damp tea towels on cooking fires.

Glenn stresses: "It's a common mistake, so we want to make sure everyone knows that water should never come into contact with hot oil. Even a single drop of water could create a dangerous fireball and cause serious injury. Never use a damp or wet tea towel and do not attempt to tackle the fire if it is not safe to do so.

"Instead, if possible, turn the heat source off, get out of the house, close all doors behind you and call 999"

The fire coincides with the National Fire Chiefs Council's (NFCC) Cooking Safety Month, which aims to educate the public about kitchen and cooking fire safety.

Safety tips for cooking with oil:

· Take care when cooking with hot oil - it sets alight easily

· Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil so it doesn't splash

· If the oil starts to smoke - it's too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool

· Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer. They can't overheat

· If your pan catches fire, turn off the heat if it is safe to do so. Never throw water or a damp tea towel over it

For more information on kitchen safety and fire prevention, please visit the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service website: www.essex-fire.gov.uk