Fire at takeaway restaurant - Selsdon

Firefighters have issued a reminder of their cooking safety advice following a fire at a takeaway restaurant on Addington Road in Selsdon. 

Part of the ground floor of the building and part of the ducting in the extraction system was damaged by fire. Five people left the property before firefighters arrived, one of whom was treated on-scene for smoke inhalation by Brigade crews before being taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by the overheating of cooking oil in a chip pan.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room in the home. 

"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.” 

The Brigade's Control Officers took the first of 11 calls to the fire at 1152 and mobilised six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Addington, Purley, Norbury and Sidcup fire stations to the scene. The fire was brought under control by 1315.

Practical steps for safer cooking: 

• Take extra care when cooking with hot oil as it can easily overheat and catch fire. 
• Never fill a 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. 
• If the oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool.
• Try not to leave cooking unattended on the hob or grill – if you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the heat.