A Senior Fire Officer is highlighting cooking as the main cause of accidental fires in the home after he attended a kitchen fire on Upper Garth Road, Bangor where smoke alarms helped save an elderly couple from a fire in their home.

Crews from Bangor, Caernarfon and Menai Bridge attended the fire on Upper Garth Road, Bangor last night (Sunday November 21) after receiving a call at 20.37hrs.

This comes just a week after three people were hospitalised and their home was destroyed following a cooking fire in Pandy near Llangollen.

Mike Owen, Response Manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident. He said:

“We’re all so relieved that the couple were able to escape safely.  Smoke alarms activated, and they were able to get out of the house to safety.  Having working smoke alarms and a practiced escape route is so important to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

“Our firefighters have worked extremely hard to get the fire under control as quickly as possible – my thanks go to them all.

“Please don’t be tempted to leave cooking unattended and take care in the kitchen- it’s so easy to get distracted.

“I’d ask everyone to consider elderly or vulnerable family or neighbours, and ensure they are safe too, with working smoke alarms fitted on every floor of their home.

“For a free safe and well check for you or for someone you know please call our freephone number on 0800 169 1234, e-mail cfs@nwales-fireservice.org.uk  or log on to our website www.northwalesfire.gov.wales.”

Top tips for safety in the kitchen:

• If you leave the room take the cooking off the heat
• Don't use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer
• Always make sure that any handles are turned away from the edge of the cooker
• Keep the over, hob and grill clean - a build up fat and grease can easily catch fire
• Never hang anything to dry above the cooker
• Take care if you are wearing loose clothing as it can easily catch fire
• When you've finished cooking make sure everything is turned off
• Turn off electrical appliances when they are not being used
• Never use a chip pan - use a thermostatically controlled deep far fryer
• Never cook after drinking- get a takeaway instead
• Get fitted with smoke alarms - they are free of charge and could save your life.