‘Ban The Pan’ This National Chip Week

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is asking the public to ‘Ban the Pan’ this National Chip Week (16th-23rd February). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last year firefighters attended 127 house fires that were caused by cooking – with 27 of these as a direct result of a chip pan. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These kinds of fires can be incredibly dangerous – leaving a chip pan unattended for any length of time can have disastrous results as the oil can easily overheat and ignite. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To highlight the risks associated with using chip pans, North Fire and Rescue Service is promoting a ‘Ban the Pan’ Campaign across social media this week – follow #banthepan on Twitter and keep an eye out for a competition on Facebook @Northwalesfireservice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Stuart Millington, Senior Fire Safety Manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Some people assume that cooking chips in a pan of hot oil is a thing of the past, but we know from the incidents our crews attend that this still happens. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our message is simple – now’s the time to get rid of your chip pan! Oven chips or using a healthy fryer are a far safer and healthier way to enjoy your chips. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If people do choose to fry then please don’t be tempted to leave cooking unattended. We strongly advise using a thermostat-controlled deep-fat fryer, which will make sure the fat doesn’t get too hot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“If you are unlucky enough to have a chip pan fire, please don’t put yourself at risk by trying to tackle it yourself, especially not with water – this could put your life in serious danger. Get out and call 999” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Here are some tips from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on frying safely; ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Don’t overfill a chip pan with oil – never fill it more than one-third full.
• Be careful that it doesn’t overheat – hot oil can catch fire easily.
• Use a thermostat-controlled deep-fat fryer, which will make sure the fat doesn’t get too hot.
• Never throw water on a chip pan fire.
• Don’t cook after drinking alcohol.
• Have an escape route in place.
• Don’t take risks by tackling a fire. Get out, stay out and call 999.
• Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly.