Clean out your oven to prevent kitchen blazes, fire chiefs urge

South Yorkshire fire chiefs are urging residents to make an unusual New Year’s resolution - to clean out their oven.

Grime fires, caused by a build up of fat or grease in cooking tools, are blamed for a large proportion of the 300 kitchen fires that the services attends every year.

And a local survey carried out found 40 per cent of people admitted they hadn’t cleaned out their oven or grill pan for at least six months.

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Trevor Bernard, head of community safety, said: “You’d be amazed how many homes we go to where minimum standards of hygiene and cleanliness aren’t maintained, putting residents at a real risk of having a fire that could severely damage their property.

“That’s why we’re raising awareness, to hopefully motivate people not to put off this particular household chore any longer and make cleaning out their oven their New Year’s resolution.”

Residents are also asked to throw away old fashioned chip pans and buy takeaways instead of cooking if they have been out drinking.