Local emergency officials are sounding the alarm about a rash of cooking fires in the city while calling on residents to use more caution when they’re whipping up something to eat.
The London Fire Department says since the start of 2017 there have been eight cooking-related blazes. In all, the fires have caused an estimated $200,000 in damage and led to a number of injuries, including second-degree burns on one person’s hands and minor burns to the face and hands of another victim.
Individuals involved in the incidents also suffered smoke inhalation.
Officials say between October to December there were eight cooking-related fires. The eight incidents in the month of January effectively doubled that rate, the department said.
“Cooking, particularly unattended or distracted cooking, is the number one cause of fires in the City of London,” Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention Brian McLaughlin said in a statement.
“It is also the focus for an intensifying advertising campaign which attempts to drive home the message that cooking can be dangerous if left unmonitored.”
Officials say they’re trying to increase awareness about how important it is to supervise their cooking and to stay alert. That means turning on the stove or oven when you’re tired or impaired is strongly discouraged.
It’s also recommended that Londoners check their smoke alarms monthly to make sure they’re working properly and that there’s one on each storey of their home and outside sleeping areas.