South Yorkshire firefighters tackle nearly 1,000 kitchen blazes in three years
A new campaign to reduce kitchen fires has been launched, with nearly 1,000 blazes dealt with in South Yorkshire over the last three years.
Between 2013 and 2015, fire crews dealt with 925 kitchen fires - resulting in more than 200 injuries and two deaths.
Fire chiefs said most of the blazes were caused by cooking left unattended, chip pans that overheated or dirty ovens that ignited due to a build up of fat and grease.
Factors contributing to the fires included alcohol, drugs and mental health issues, including dementia.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue's head of prevention and protection, Steve Helps, said: “The cooking fires we go to range from burnt toast to serious blazes which gut houses and destroy lives. But what all these incidents have in common is that they are nearly always entirely preventable.
“Whether it’s remembering to keep an eye on your cooking, giving your oven a good scrub or buying a takeaway after a night out, rather than attempting to cook, this campaign is all about asking residents to take some simple steps to protect themselves and those they love.”
"Clean out ovens and grill pans regularly to avoid a build up of fat and grease.
"Ditch old fashioned chip pans, use oven chips or thermostat controlled fryers instead
"Don’t attempt to cook if you’ve been out drinking, buy a takeaway instead."