Ditch the chip pan, says fire brigade

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue marked National Chip Week this week by handing out discount vouchers for oven chips to persuade shoppers to ditch their deep fat friers.

The fire service was using the week to raise awareness of the dangers of chip pans, which still account for hundreds of fires, dozens of injuries and avoidable deaths every year.

Steve Makepeace, head of community safety, said: “It's perhaps hard to believe, in this day and age, that people still use chip pans but our statistics show that they remain a real and present danger.

“You wouldn't fill a container with flammable liquid and light a flame under it, yet using a chip pan poses the same kind of danger.

“Oven chips or thermostat controlled fryers are much safer, meaning there is no need whatsoever for people to continue putting their lives at risk in this way.”

Fire service staff teamed up with The Co-operative Group to visit locations across South Yorkshire during National Chip Week to give out vouchers and pass on tips including:

• Never use a chip pan—thermostat controlled fryers or oven chips are much safer.
• Keep electrical leads and tea towels well away from the hob.
• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Switch off cooking appliances after use and before you go to bed at night.

For more information on kitchen fire safety, visit www.syfire.gov.uk.