How this fire happened
The home owner had been cooking chips in an open pan filled with oil on the hob of her cooker.
They were distracted by a phone call and left the kitchen where the chip pan eventually overheated and caught fire.
Safety message
If there is a fire involving the chip pan
Get out, Stay out and Call the Fire & Rescue Service out!
Don't try to put it out yourself.
Whilst with the development of oven chips, the instances of chip pan fires have reduced over recent years - this incident clearly shows that they are still being used.
Cooking accidents are the most common cause of accidental fires in the home and Chip pan fires cause more injuries than anything else. East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service would advise home owners to first consider a safer alternative, however if they prefer to cook with oil:
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Consider using a thermostatically controlled electric fryer with timer
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Never leave a chip pan unattended on the hob
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Chip pans should never be filled more than one third full
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Consider using a timer to prevent getting distracted
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Dry chips before putting them into hot oil otherwise the oil could boil over
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Never put the chips in the pan if the oil has started smoking
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If young children are around - to keep the pan at the back of the cooker
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If there is a fire involving the chip pan - Get out, Stay out and Call the Fire & Rescue Service out!
This advice has radically changed as we no longer advise tackling the fire with a blanket or wet tea towel etc. as government statistics showed that people were being injured by doing this
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If safe - shut the door to the kitchen before leaving the house.
Further information