Unattended cooking causes Southampton flat fire

Firefighters were called to a block of flats on Orchard Place, Southampton, on Tuesday afternoon after a pan was left unattended on a stove.

Crews from St Mary’s, Redbridge, Hightown, Totton and Eastleigh attended the incident following a 999 call at approximately 3:45pm. Smoke was reported coming from one of the flats, and a fire alarm could be heard sounding.

Firefighters entered the ground-floor flat and quickly located the source of the fire, which was caused by unattended cooking.

The stop message was received at 4:20pm. Crews remained on scene to carry out community safety activity before leaving.

Station Manager Adam Bundle said:

“Leaving food cooking unattended can have serious consequences and is one of the most common causes of fires in the home.

“Our firefighters acted quickly and were able to contain the blaze, preventing further damage.

“I’d like to thank the local community for their patience, support and cooperation throughout the incident.”

HIWFRS Safety Warning: Cooking Fire Safety

Cooking fires are one of the leading causes of house fires. Stay safe in the kitchen by following these essential tips:

• CLEAR – Keep tea towels, cloths and cables away from the oven and hob.
• OVEN – Turn off the oven and hob after cooking and remove hot pans.
• OIL – Clean up grease and oil regularly to prevent fires.
• KEEP – Stay in the kitchen while cooking — never leave it unattended.

Visit our website for more fire safety advice or to book a Home Fire Safety Visit.