Gateshead woman badly injured in chip pan fire written by
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue 1479462269
on the 18
th November 2016 at 9:44
- Posted in Fire Blog
A woman is recovering from burns and severe smoke inhalation sustained during a chip pan fire at her home in Gateshead on 23 October.
Maria Burrell, 56, of Fisherwell Road, Felling, had been working all day doing two jobs when she returned home shortly after midnight. Having not eaten all day she decided to make some chips and put a chip pan on before going into her living room, where she sat down and fell asleep.
Mrs Burrell was woken by her smoke alarms and, after seeing smoke, she went into the kitchen where she saw the pan on fire and tried to tackle it herself with a damp tea towel.
She opened the back door and the kitchen window but hadn't completely extinguished the fire. She then made a second attempt to put the fire out and part of the cooker extractor hood fell down, burning her arms.
She then rang Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and a Control operator stayed on the line, advising her to get out of the house, stay out and that fire crews were on their way.
Unfortunately Mrs Burrell did not leave the house immediately and as a consequence suffered severe smoke inhalation, as well as burns.
Two fire crews from Gateshead and Hebburn attended the incident and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using a hose reel.
Mrs Burrell was taken by ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead where she spent three days in intensive care.
She still has not been able to move back into her home because of the fire damage and is staying with her daughter
Mrs Burrell said: “I won't ever use a chip pan in future. It's frightening to think that if it wasn't for the smoke alarm I would be dead. My advice to other people is don't go there. Nobody should have a chip pan because they are so dangerous.â€
District Manager Steve Anderson, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Cooking when you are tired is never advisable, and chip pans left unattended present a significant danger.
“If you do have a fire in your home, the safest thing you can do is to contain the fire by closing all doors, get out, stay out and call 999.
“Everyone should also have working smoke alarms fitted on every level of their home. Smoke alarms give you early warning of a fire and the vital time you need to escape – they really can save your life.â€
For more fire safety advice visit www.twfire.gov.uk
