Your Fire and Rescue Service are urging chip lovers to put safety first when it comes to cooking.

In 2010 2,309 home fires started as a result of chip pan fires nationwide. This resulted in 968 injuries and 10 people losing their lives. Over a five year period between 1st April 2005 and 31st March 2010 there were 289 chip pan fires in County Durham and Darlington resulting in three deaths and 110 injuries.

Joy Nolan, Head of Community Safety, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said "Through the excellent proactive community safety work undertaken over the last five years we have been able to drive down the number of chip pans fires from a high of 82 in 2005/06 to the lowest total achieved last year which was 24 fires. Whilst we are delighted with the improvements this is not an issue you can forget about. Fires which have been caused by chip pans can cause widespread damage to the kitchen and ground floors of homes and in the most extreme cases can result in the loss of life". 

Tips for cooking chips safely

If you intend to cook chips in a traditional chip pan you should follow these fire safety tips:

• Don't cook after drinking alcohol
• Don't throw water on a chip pan fire
• Don't overfill a chip pan with oil - never fill it more than one-third full
• Take care when cooking with hot oil - it sets alight easily
• If the oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
• Do not leave cooking unattended and avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob.
• Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil so it doesn't splash.

What to do if a pan catches fire

• Don't take any risks
• Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so
• NEVER throw water over it
• Don't tackle the fire yourself
• Get Out, Stay Out, Call 999

Alternative ways to enjoy chips

• Microwave them. It's quick, easy and they taste just as good
• Choose oven chips instead. Not only are they safer to cook but they're lower in fat too
• Instead of cooking chips at home, why not buy a portion of chips from the local chip shop?
• Use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer. They cant overheat. They are safer to use and look better in the kitchen!

Councillor Maria Plews, Community Safety Champion, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority commented "It is better to get a takeaway on the way home than run the risk of turning the cooker on when you are intoxicated. Unattended cooking can soon fill a home with deadly smoke. If you are already asleep you and your family will soon suffocate on that smoke and potentially endanger your neighbours".

"The best advice I can give is make sure that you fit, and regularly test, a smoke alarm. It is the single most important piece of safety equipment in any home. A smoke alarm provides vital warning that a fire has broken out waking sleeping people up and giving everyone time to get safely out."

To help keep you and your family safe from fire, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service provides free home fire safety advice. Please contact 0191 3324 222 or visit the section under 'Your Safety' www.ddfire.gov.uk/your-safety for further information.