FIREFIGHTERS have advised people not to cook while tired after attending a kitchen fire in Basildon.

The alarm was raised on Wednesday (28 April) just before 9pm and on arrival at a house in Rantree Fold crews reported there was a fire in the kitchen and firefighters extinguished it by 9.16pm.

The kitchen was adly smoke and fire damaged.

Watch Manager Walsh from Basildon Fire Station said: "Please do not cook when you're tired, it's easy to fall asleep and a fire can quickly develop."

Cooking safety

More than half of accidental fires in the home are started by cooking - it can be incredibly dangerous if you don't take precautions:

• Don't leave children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob
• Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach
• Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob
• Double check the cooker is off when you've finished cooking
• Take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk
• Don't cook if you are tired, taking medication that makes your drowsy or have been drinking alcohol