Fire service urges residents to test fire alarms following kitchen blaze (From St Helens Star)

Fire service urges residents to test fire alarms following kitchen blaze

3:29pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News

A MAN had to be given oxygen by fire crews after a chip pan blaze that resulted in a kitchen filling with choking smoke.

The fire broke out at a property on Hard Lane, at about 7.50am this morning (Tuesday).

A smoke alarm was fitted at the house but it was defective and gave no early warning.

Watch Manager Mike Costello, from St Helens Community Fire Station, said: “We advise that people have working smoke alarms on each level of their homes and they test them each week by pressing the test button on them.

“When the occupier went into the room to turn off the cooker he breathed in some of the smoke.

"There were polystyrene ceiling tiles in the kitchen and these gave off smoke as they decomposed. There was some quite nasty smoke in the kitchen.

“We advise the removal of polystyrene ceiling tiles as polystyrene can give off really black, toxic smoke when it is heated or affected by fire.”

The man was taken to Whiston Hopsital by ambulance for a precautionary check-up for smoke inhalation.

For free fire safety advice contact 0800 7315958.