Fire Service warn of pancake danger

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are warning residents of the dangers of cooking pancakes at home today and to take safety precautions to avoid accidents.

March 8, is Shrove Tuesday, which is celebrated by making and eating pancakes. However, it does involve using hot oil and equipment.

Deputy Community Safety manager for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Matt King said: “When you’re distracted by delicious, warm pancakes, fire safety may not be at the forefront of your mind!

“However, fat and chip pan fires can be devastating, with a very high proportion of fires resulting in injuries.

“Most fires start in the kitchen, and at this time of year, a common scenario can be families tucking into pancakes, forgetting that they have left their frying pan on the hob, burning away.”

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue have devised a few tips on how to avoid any accidents on Pancake Day:

• When you’ve finished cooking your pancakes, take the frying pan off the hob and turn off the heat source.
• If the oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
• If your children are helping you make pancakes, make sure they are supervised at all times.
• A working smoke alarm will greatly increase your chances of escaping a fire unharmed. Test it weekly.
• Have an escape plan and follow it – know where you will exit the house, and where you’ll go.
• If a fire does occur in your kitchen, get out, close the door behind you and dial 999.

Learn more about smoke alarms on Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s Smoke Alarm page.

Source: Lincolnshire County Council