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News Release

Issued: 09.02.09
At: 11.45am
For immediate release

Firefighters Issue Chip Pan Warning During National Chip Week

Members of the media are invited to attend Western Fire and Rescue Station on
Wednesday 11 February at 11am where firefighters will be demonstrating the dangers of chip pan fires.

National Chip Week, running from 9 to 15 February, celebrates this national favourite food with many people tucking into homemade chips at this cold time of year.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service have attended 219 cooking related incidents in the past year causing 34 people to have been injured as a result. We want to remind people of the dangers relating to cooking and, in particular, relating to the use of chip pans.

Repeatedly attending fires and seeing people make the same mistakes, places a responsibility on us to communicate the risk of death and injury. We hope that by warning people in the community about these dangers we will start to see a reduction in these, all too preventable accidents.

Paul Speight, Community Fire Safety Officer, said:

‘Our concern is that chip pan incidents are an all too regular occurrence. Quite often all you need is an interruption like a telephone call or someone calling at your door and as you answer, the pan can be gently bubbling away and forgotten about.

I would advise people to consider replacing their old style chip pan for a thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer or to cook oven chips instead.

In the event that a pan does catch fire, don't take any risks. Turn off the heat if it’s safe to do so. Never throw water over it. Remember to never tackle a fire yourself, my advice is to get out, stay out and call 999.‘

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service offers free home fire safety checks and we are keen to target those considered most vulnerable to the risk of fire. Firefighters can visit people in their own home and help them develop an escape plan as well as fit free smoke alarms. If you would like a free home fire safety check, please call 0116 287 2241.

- ENDS -

Notes to News Desk

Members of the media are invited to attend Western Fire and Rescue Station, Aikman Avenue, New Parks, Leicester LE3 9PW on Wednesday 11 February at
11am.

PLEASE CALL TO CONFIRM YOUR ATTENDANCE.

Interview/Photo Opportunity

Paul Speight, Community Fire Safety Officer, will be available for interview about the dangers related to cooking.

Photos can be taken of firefighters demonstrating a chip pan fire using the hot oil demonstrator to show how they would extinguish the fire safely and how attempting to extinguish the fire incorrectly, can result in a dramatic fireball.

Contact Information

For more information please contact:

Corporate Communications
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Tel 0116 287 2241