You can use the translation service powered by Microsoft Azure to translate NFRS pages into a variety of other languages.

Please note:

This will refresh the page.

Translations cannot be guaranteed as exact and may include incorrect or inappropriate language. We cannot control the quality or accuracy of the Microsoft service.

In an emergency call 999
For general enquiries call 01158388100
Monday - Friday -

Kitchen safety

Did you know that distraction is one of the biggest causes of fires in the kitchen?

Whether this is from impaired senses from drinking alcohol, falling asleep, or simply forgetting about your cooking and leaving the room, distraction can kill, because when attention stops, fires start.

Keeping your kitchen tidy

You might think that keeping your kitchen clean is just for show, but what you might not know is that doing so could stop you from having to deal with a fire, as a build-up of crumbs fat, and grease on your toaster, oven, hob, and microwave can easily ignite. It’s not just keeping your cooking area clean though that can drastically reduce your chances of fire – making sure that leads and cables from appliances are kept away from water and flames and ensuring that curtains and tea towels are placed away from appliances is also important.

Fires can be fry-tening

We all enjoy fried food occasionally, but cooking in oil comes with its own set of risks. We would never discourage anyone from cooking in this way, as this is a tradition for many religions, but instead want you to do it safely, because after all if you’re cooking food, you want to be able to enjoy it right?

Hot oil can catch fire easily, and if it starts to smoke, this means that it is too hot, so it is best to turn the heat off and leave it to cool. Over the last 12 months, the Service has attended two inquests related to cooking using oil, and more specifically a hob-based deep fat fryer.

Top kitchen safety tips

  • Avoid distractions when cooking and if you need to leave the room, remove pans from the heat
  • Check that the cooker, hob, and other appliances are switched off when you're done cooking
  • Never put anything metal in the microwave
  • Always keep your kitchen clean and free of fat, grease, and crumbs
  • Keep matches and saucepan handles (when on the heat) out of reach of children
  • Never leave children in the kitchen alone when cooking
  • Never put water on a pan fire
  • Never cook under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • If a fire occurs in the kitchen - get out, stay out, and call 999 immediately