Ramadan warning after fire
JON MACPHERSON
FIREFIGHTERS have warned the Muslim community to be wary of the dangers of cooking during Ramadan after a late night chip pan fire.
Emergency services were called to Blackburn Road in Accrington at 11.40pm on Tuesday, June 13, to reports of a kitchen fire and people still inside the house.
When fire crews arrived they saw the occupants, a man and a woman, leaving the property.
They were later treated at the scene by paramedics for smoke inhalation.
Stuart Roxburgh, crew manager at Hyndburn fire station, said the blaze was started by ‘a chip pan fire’ and that it had caused ‘significant damage’ to the kitchen and filled the house with smoke.
He has now issued a warning about the dangers of chip and oil pan fires during Ramadan.
He said: “It was a chip pan fire. They managed to put it out, but the house is heavily smoke-logged.
“We are trying to warn the Asian community, because obviously they use a lot of oils to cook their food, about the dangers of leaving unattended pans in the kitchen.
“With it being in Ramadan and fasting they need to be wary that it has an effect on tiredness and that you can fall asleep or lose concentration.
“Everyone should also make sure that they have working smoke alarms in their property.
“There were no smoke alarms in the property last night.”
Four firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus and hose reels extinguished the fire.
Lancashire Police confirmed they were called to the scene at 11.45pm.
A spokesperson said: “The fire service call us to say there was a kitchen fire at a property on Blackburn Road.
“There was a suggestion initially that people were inside but there wasn’t. It’s been classed as a chip pan fire.”
No road closures were reported.
Last week firefighters tackled another chip pan fire on College Street in Accrington which left the owner and her three children homeless.