Restaurant fire - Hackney

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to a fire at a restaurant on Kingsland Road in Hackney. 

Firefighters tackled a fire at a restaurant with residential properties above it where part of the basement, first floor and second floor were damaged by the fire. Around ten people left the property before the Brigade arrived. 

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by an unattended pan of cooking oil. 

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Chip pans and cooking with hot oil can be really dangerous and the risk increases when you start frying food more than once.

“All it can take is for you to become distracted for a few seconds and your cooking oil can quickly go up in flames.

"Cooking should never be left unattended on the hob or grill - if you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the heat."

The Brigade was called at 0247 and the fire was under control by 0450. Fire crews from Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Shadwell and other fire stations in the surrounding area attended the scene.

Firefighters’ tips for safer cooking

• Take extra care when cooking with hot oil as it can easily overheat and catch fire
• Never fill the pan more than one third full of fat or oil
• Make sure food is dry before putting it in hot oil - oil and water are a dangerous mix
• Use an electronic deep fat fryer if possible - they have automatic temperature controls and are much safer