Firefighters are sharing their advice for cooking with hot oil after a fire at a takeaway shop with flats above on South End in Croydon.
Half of the ground floor and the ducting in the extraction system from the ground floor to the roof were damaged by fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led a woman and a child to safety from the first floor via an internal staircase. There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by the ignition of hot oil in a deep fat fryer.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "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 and 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 so turn off the heat and leave it to cool. We also advise using an electronic deep fat fryer if possible – they have automatic temperature controls and are much safer.
"It's also really important to keep the hob, cooker hood and extractor fan clean too – built up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire."
The Brigade’s Control Officers were called at 0114 and mobilised crews from Croydon, Purley and Woodside fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 0239.