Dozy students risk fires by nodding off with the cooker on

ONE in seven university students has fallen asleep with food cooking, risking potentially deadly fires, research shows. Data reveals that between 2012 and 2017, 911 accidental electrical fires took place in English halls of residence.

This is the equivalent of five fires every week during a typical academic term, according to the charity Electrical Safety First. A survey of 1,136 students in England and Wales revealed that 56 per cent of them admitted to cooking while drunk, or after drinking.

Emma Drackford, the director of communications for Electrical Safety First, said: “With so many students admitting to taking to the stove under the influence of alcohol and a significant number falling asleep with food cooking, we are warning students not to drink and fry.”

The figures highlighted some of the reckless actions of students. They revealed that one quarter admitted to putting a knife or fork into a toaster.

One fifth said they had misused the microwave by putting something inside it that should not be there, either for fun or by mistake, and one in eight admitted to leaving the oven on with the door open to warm up the room.