A chip pan blaze in a West Pilton flat on Wednesday evening left a man in need of treatment for smoke inhalation and suspected burns to his fingers. Firefighters from Crewe Toll, Marionville and McDonald Road stations responded to a call from Northview Court and discovered a chip pan well alight on the seventh floor of the high rise.
Occupants of the floor were evacuated from the immediate vicinity and residents on the sixth and eighth floor were checked by crews because of smoke in the common stairs. Firefighters extinguished the fire and the 41-year-old occupier was given oxygen at the scene and examined for suspected minor burns to his hands before being taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for further treatment.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said an investigation into the cause was underway.
““Chip pans are a common cause of kitchen fires. We would strongly advise replacing your chip pan with a thermostat-controlled deep fat fryer. The safety cut-out device controls the temperature to stop the oil or fat overheating. Even if you don’t own a chip pan remember any type of cooking with oil can lead to a fire – whether you are using a wok, grill or frying pan. Take care in the kitchen and make sure you have a working smoke alarm in your home.”
She added: “Remember our kitchen fire safety tips:
- When deep frying, dry the food before you put it in oil
- Never fill a pan more than one-third full of oil. If the oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot so turn off the heat and leave it to cool
If you must use a deep frying pan:
- Never deep fry with fat or oil when you’ve been drinking alcohol
- Don’t leave cooking unattended – even for a few seconds
- Turn the pan handle to the side so the fat or oil doesn’t get spilled by accident
If you can, turn off the heat and put a damp towel over the pan to smother the flames, but don’t take risks.”