Crews tackle accidental restaurant fire

We have extinguished a fire inside a restaurant in Hednesford that was started by a deep fat fryer.

At 1am on Sunday morning (7 July), we were called to Market Street after smoke was seen coming from the address.

Crews went to the scene and forced entry into the building to start tackling the blaze. It was extinguished by 1.50am using hose reel jets, main jets and breathing equipment.

Firefighters also evacuated the flats above and made sure everyone was safe.

Two women were assessed at the scene for smoke inhalation by paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service but did not need to go to hospital.

We carried out an investigation into the cause and found it had been started by a deep fat fryer that had accidentally been left on.

Watch Manager Wesley Southall, who went to the scene, said: “This incident goes to show how easily things can go wrong by forgetting to turn off heating appliances in the kitchen.

“More than 50 per cent of the fires we attend are caused by cooking, particularly pans and grills that catch fire after they are left unattended.

“Make sure that cooking appliances are switched off after use and are never left unattended.”

To limit the chances of accidents happening while cooking, we advise:

• Taking pans off the heat if you’re leaving the room
• Don’t use chip pans – use a thermostat controlled electric fryer instead
• Do not leave children alone in the kitchen whilst cooking with the hob or oven
• Do not place anything metallic in the microwave
• Keep electrical leads away from water and keep electrical leads and cloths away from the hob
• Avoid cooking if you have been drinking alcohol
• Keep the oven and grill clean, a build-up of fat and grease may catch fire
• Take care if wearing loose clothing as it can easily catch fire particularly when using the hob
• When you have finished cooking, double check that you have turned off the oven
• Do not use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer.

For more tips on how to stay safe in the kitchen, visit: Cooking safety (staffordshirefire.gov.uk)