A Wirral business owner is calling on homeowners throughout the borough to guard against domestic kitchen fires, following a rise within the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service over the last two years.
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- Simon Kirkby, owner of Ovenu Wirral South
Research carried out by Simon Kirkby, owner of oven valeting firm Ovenu Wirral, has revealed that 646 of 753 dwelling kitchen fires were caused by cooking appliances in 2015, compared to 625 of the 708 total in 2014.
In light of the increase, Simon is warning homeowners about the dangers of kitchen fires, especially in the build-up to Christmas and the festive period when the oven and other cooking appliances are traditionally used more often with the visit of family and friends.
He said: “The figures are very worrying and highlight the need to be more vigilant when using cooking appliances at home. With the visit of family and friends over the Christmas period, and colder weather expected, there will most likely be an increase in the number of cooked meals and a greater use of cooking appliances. With plenty of activity in the home during this busy period, this can be distracting, so people need to be aware of the risks associated with cooking appliances and equipment.
“Human error is just one of the potential causes of a fire in the kitchen or within the home, but in some cases it may be that ageing appliances need to be serviced or given a thorough clean. People would much rather celebrate the festive period surrounded by their loved ones, instead of dealing with a potentially life-threatening scenario, so it is vital that the proper precautions are taken.”
Ovenu Wirral serves homes and businesses throughout the Wirral Peninsula, including Great Sutton, Little Sutton, Ellesmere Port, Heswall, Bromborough, Bebington, West Kirby, Hoylake, Moreton, Wallasey, Birkenhead and all surrounding areas.
Simon added: “Hopefully the statistics for 2016 will show an improvement from the previous two years, and our dedicated fire servicemen and women won’t have to tackle as many unnecessary domestic fires in the year ahead and beyond.”
For more information about Ovenu Wirral, call 0151 339 9557, email simon.kirkby@tiscali.co.
