Homes in Cornwall fall victim to a kitchen fire on average three times a week, new figures have shown.
Firefighters in the county were called to 163 house fires which started in the kitchen between April 2012 and March 2013 – more than half the total number of accidental houses fires over the same period.
Of those kitchen fires, 107 were caused by faulty or misused electrical appliances.
Mark Pratten from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, said: "A house fire can have devastating results. Many however, are preventable and there are steps you can take to keep you and your loved ones safe.
"Kitchen fires generally have two causes – cooking or an electrical fault. Never leave food cooking unattended and make sure appliances, where appropriate, are switched off at the mains when not in use.
"It's important to check wiring, make sure plugs are not overloaded and use the appliances in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines."
To avoid kitchen fires the fire and rescue service recommends to check smoke alarms, keep appliances in good working order, not overload plug sockets and not to wear loose fitting clothing. For more information call 0800 358 1999.
