0800 555 815

Borough: Oldham

Incident Date: 24 January 2012

AN ELDERLY man suffered burns to his hands after a pan of food caught fire at his home in Oldham.

Firefighters from Hollins and Chadderton fire stations were called out to the blaze at 3pm on Tuesday, January 24, at a house on Fir Tree Avenue, Fitton Hill.

Two firefighters in breathing apparatus went in, extinguished the blaze with a hose reel and used a fan to clear the smoke afterwards.

An 86-year-old man was suffering from the effects of inhaling smoke and was given oxygen at the scene by the crews.

He also had burns to his hands and was taken to hospital.

The damage was limited to the kitchen and the crews then carried out a Home Safety Check and fitted two smoke alarms for the man.

Cooking Safety Advice

Never leave cooking unattended - even to answer the phone or the door - serious fires can start when you are distracted, even for a few seconds.
When cooking fried food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool. Never fill the pan more than one-third full of oil. Never throw water over the pan.

Smoke Alarms…Your First Line of Defence

• Your first line of defence should be a smoke alarm. If there is a fire, a smoke alarm will immediately warn you, giving you and everyone in your home time to escape to safety.
• Fit smoke alarms on the ceiling on each floor in your home - the best places are top of the staircase, stair landing and between living and sleeping areas (do not fit them in the kitchen).
• Do NOT REMOVE THE BATTERIES - if your smoke alarm keeps going off it might be too close to the kitchen.

For more advice about safety in the kitchen go to www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_safety/safety_in_kitchen.aspx

For a free Home Fire Safety Check called GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx

Last update: 25/01/2012 10:40:08