London firefighters responded to eight cooking fires in January
In this kitchen fire demonstration, firefighters extinguish a pot left to burn on the stove. (File photo)
London firefighters are warning residents to be careful in the kitchen following a rash of cooking fires in the city.
Firefighters responded to eight cooking-related blazes this year, causing a combined $200,000 in damages.
The fire department issued a similar warning in December after eight cooking fires were recorded in a two-month period.
“Cooking, particularly unattended or distracted cooking, is the number one cause of fires in the City of London,” deputy fire chief Brian McLaughlin said in a Thursday statement.
“We strongly (encourage) people to not engage in cooking activities while impaired or sleepy.”
Residents are reminded to have working smoke alarms located outside of sleeping area on each level of their homes. The smoke alarms should be checked monthly and the batteries changed annually.
Source: Rash of cooking fires prompts warning | The London Free Press
