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You know what it’s like when you’re trying
to get a meal ready. You’ve left it a bit late and you’re in a rush.The kids are being a pain. You’re trying to get the washing done at the same time.
Or maybe you’ve been out for the night
and you’ve had a few drinks. If you’re not concentrating, cooking the
simplest meal can cause a fire. Did you know that cooking is the single biggest cause of house fires in Scotland?
It’s a fact. Accidents while people are cooking cause around 1 in every 4 house fires.
Make your kitchen as safe as houses - Fires start when your attention stops.
Never walk away while you’re cooking.
Deep Fat Frying
In some parts of Scotland, 1 house in every 10 will have a kitchen fire in the next 10 years. And
deep frying – using fat or oil – is the biggest risk,
causing around 9,500 fires a year in the UK. But
that doesn’t have to happen.
If you must use a deep frying pan:
- Never – ever – deep fry with fat or oil
when you’ve been drinking alcohol
- Never fill the pan more than one-third full
of fat or oil
- Never walk away – not even for a few
seconds – when the pan’s on the heat
- Turn the pan handle to the side so the fat
or oil doesn’t get spilled by accident
- Make sure chips are dry before putting
them into hot fat or oil
But the best way to avoid having a fire is to use a thermostat controlled, electric deep-fat fryer:
- They’re not that expensive – especially when you count the cost of a fire
- They look smart and they’re compact
- They’re safer to use – the safety cut-out (the thermostat) controls the temperature of the fat or oil
If you must use a deep frying pan and it catches fire:
- Never try to move the pan
- Never throw water over the pan
- Phone the Fire and Rescue Service, even if you think
you’ve put the fire out
- If you can, turn off the heat
- Then put a damp
towel over the pan to smother the flames
But if you can’t put out the fire right away:
- Get out of the kitchen
- Close the door
- Phone the Fire and Rescue Service
And it’s not just Deep Frying Pans that are a risk when you’re busy cooking
- Never walk away from the grill pan when it’s under the heat
- Never dry tea towels or cloths on – or above – the cooker
- Never trail electrical flexes near cookers
- Never put any metal objects inside microwave ovens
- Switch off electrical appliances like washing machines and dishwashers at the mains
- Always clean grill pans when you’ve been cooking fatty food
- Turn all pan handles to the side so they’re not spilled by accident
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