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Home » News & Events » 2012 » September » Warning following kitchen fires

Warning following kitchen fires

The first of these took place at a property in Jubilee Drive in Kidderminster at around 10.15am. The occupiers were out at the time but neighbours heard a smoke alarm activate and raised the alarm. Two fire engines from Kidderminster fire station were sent to the address and firefighters in breathing apparatus went into the kitchen where they extinguished a small fire caused by books left too near an electric cooker hob. The fire was quickly brought under control using one hose reel jet and one covering jet, and then smoke was cleared from the property using positive pressure ventilation equipment.

At around 5.35pm, two fire crews from Droitwich were called to a first floor maisonette in Nunnery Avenue in Droitwich after an unattended saucepan in the kitchen caught fire. Again, there was an early alert from a smoke detector at the property and firefighters in breathing apparatus extinguished the fire with the use of one hose reel.

Station Commander Alan Haley from HWFRS’s Community Safety department said: “Fortunately no one was injured and damage was kept to a minimum at both of these properties thanks to an early alert from a working smoke detector. However, both incidents involved cooking left unattended and both had the potential to be far more serious.

“We would remind people to keep an eye on their cooking at all times and to be sure that books, magazines, tea-towels and any flammable items are kept well away from the stove.”

He also stressed the importance of having smoke alarms installed and testing them regularly. As these incidents illustrate, an early alert from a working smoke alarm can help minimise damage to your home and avoid injury in the event of a fire.