PEOPLE are being urged to 'chuck out that chip pan' in a new safety campaign initiated by Cleveland Fire Brigade.

The campaign has been planed to coincide with National Chip Week and forms part of the brigade’s month-long efforts during February to highlight the hazards in the kitchen, which is the most dangerous room in the home.

Last year, almost 50 per cent of accidental house fires started in the kitchen and today (Monday, FEB16) Coulby Newham Fire Station opened its doors to give the public demonstrations to show just how quickly a chip pan fire can take hold.

John Feeney, Cleveland Fire Brigade’s District Manager for Middlesbrough and Redcar, said: “We cannot emphasise enough the dangers that lie in the kitchen. Our message is quite simple: chuck out your chip pan – it could save your life.

“Once a chip pan catches fire it can cause devastation in minutes, putting lives at serious risk. Our advice to people is to have oven baked chips instead but if you must have deep fried chips, then buy them from a fish and chip shop or a takeaway.”

The brigade will also give chip pan demonstrations in at 10am tomorrow in Major Cooper Court, Hartlepool and 1pm in Runswick House, Middlesbrough. On Wednesday they will be at Prospect Place in Lingdale, east Cleveland at 10am and Kemplan House, Guisborough at 1pm and on Thursday they will be at Hartfields Retirement Village, Hartlepool at 10am and The Maple in Stockton at 1pm. The final demonstrations will be held at North Ormesby Resource Centre at 10am on Friday and at Rosedale Court, Middlesbrough, at 2pm on the same day.