This week is National Chip Week – but did you know that more than half of all fires attended by Bristol emergency services start in the kitchen?

Many kitchen fires start when cooking is left unattended and often involve hot oils and fats.

With this in mind, Avon Fire and Rescue have put together a few tips on how to stay safe in the kitchen, particularly when using a chip pan.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service Community Safety Officer, Lee Wright, said: "The oil in a chip pan can reach up to 400 degrees and could catch fire if you don't follow safety advice.

"You should also always take care when using oils and fats in a grill pan as it could easily catch light.

"You might also want to consider cooking oven chips, but make sure you keep an eye on them and never leave cooking unattended." 

Other tips on how to stay safe when cooking:

• Never fill a pan more than one third full of fat or oil.

• Never leave a pan unattended when the heat is switched on.

• Never put food into a pan if the oil begins to smoke. Turn off the heat and leave the oil to cool, otherwise it could catch fire.

• Never wear loose clothing near cooking materials, as it could catch fire causing severe burns or get caught on a pan and pull it over.

• Keep tea towels and oven gloves away from cooking appliances.

• Cooking and alcohol are a recipe for disaster so if you fancy a late night snack after a few drinks treat yourself to a takeaway rather than cooking your own.

• If possible use a thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer, as these are much safer than a chip pan.  

If a pan does catch fire: 

• Do not try to move it as this could cause severe burns.

• Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, but never lean over the pan to reach the cooker controls.