Kitchen fire started by chip pan

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were called to a house in Adam Street in Kidderminster last Friday evening following a kitchen fire.

Engines from Kidderminster and Stourport attended the blaze. Crews used a covering jet and positive pressure ventilation equipment to clear smoke from the house and managed to extinguish the fire within an hour.

Neil Bennett, from the fire service said: “This fire involved a chip pan which had been left unattended and the occupants of the house were only alerted by the smell of smoke once the fire had taken hold. While they were able to escape from the house, unharmed, there was considerable damage to the kitchen as a result of the fire, and extensive smoke logging throughout the rest of the house as doors had been left open.”

He warned anyone cooking with hot fat to be vigilant and never to leave their cooking unattended.

Before leaving the property, firefighters installed smoke alarms and also visited neighbouring addresses to check that they have working smoke alarms in their homes.

Fire Training Academy recommends that smoke alarms are fitted on all floors of your home and that you get into the habit of testing them regularly.  Look out for out ‘Test it Tuesday’ reminders on Twitter and Facebook.