Don’t try this at home!
Woman flees fire after following crazy cheese-on-toast tip from internet
TURNING your toaster on its side to cook cheese on toast may be one of the daftest pieces of culinary advice ever to appear on Facebook.
But it almost cost one pensioner her home after her toaster caught fire and the subsequent blaze saw Suzanne Dale, 66, flee for her life.
Last night she warned others not to take advice from social media sites, saying it was a ‘stupid’ idea which came with a harsh lesson.
Miss Dale, an entertainment promoter from Sale, Manchester, decided to make herself cheese on toast last week after seeing a time saving tip on Facebook. The advice suggested tipping the toaster on its side before inserting the bread and cheese into the slots and beginning the cooking process.
Miss Dale said: ‘I just thought, “Oh I’ll try that”. I don’t know why – I have griddles and everything to make cheese on toast. I thought it might be a faster way of making cheese on toast.’ A few moments after she placed the bread and cheese slices in the toaster it began to smoke badly and she immediately unplugged it.
But huge flames suddenly erupted and she was forced to rush into her garden with the toaster, fearing her house could catch fire. It took 20 minutes for the flames to go out, wrecking the toaster. Her worktops were damaged and the house needed a major clear-up.
She added: ‘Luckily I live in a house and have a garden, but if it was anyone living in a flat or somebody who was less agile who couldn’t get out as quick, they were real flames, it could be dangerous. I don’t want anybody to be doing that in a flat or anyone who could not get out quick.
‘There has since been 2,000 shares [on Facebook] and so many comments. It is probably a good thing – if I was stupid enough to do it, someone else will be.
‘Lots of people said, “I was going to try this, I thought it was a good idea”.’ A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire Service said: ‘Only use kitchen appliances in accordance of manufacturer’s instructions.
‘Trying to make cheese and toast in a toaster is an extremely bad idea and can cause a devastating fire in the kitchen. Make sure any toaster is clear of cupboard doors and other appliances in the kitchen.’
Previously, Facebook was criticised after a cooking tip advised users to avoid popcorn mess by putting uncooked popcorn in a paper bag and placing it in the oven to pop.
‘I thought it might be faster’