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Incident Date: 01 February 2012

FEBRUARY is Cooking Fire Safety month, but last night Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were called to a number of fires caused in the kitchen. 

At 5.25pm two crews from Leigh were called to Hanover Street in the town where a fire had started because a gas cooker had been switched on and left unattended.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the flames which had took hold of the ground floor and garage of the house.

The first floor was heavily damaged by the fire.

Less than two hours later, at 7.13pm, two crews from Stretford were called to a ground floor flat on Archer Place, where a grill pan left unattended had caused a fire.

When they arrived the fire was out, but an elderly man was given oxygen by a GMFRS trauma technician after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

The crews then carried out a Home Safety Check and fitted a smoke alarm to the flat.

Chairman of the Greater Manchester Fire Authority Councillor David Acton said: "So many of the fires we are called to start in the kitchen through carelessness.  February is Cooking Fire Safety Month but it is always important to 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: 01/02/2012 09:37:02