HOUSEHOLDERS are being urged to take extra care when using cooking oil after a chip pan blaze in Bromborough.

It was a lucky escape for the occupier, who had fallen asleep and unknowingly left the gas hob alight beneath the pan.

Merseyside fire service was called at around 6.30pm on New Year’s Day to Brookhurst Avenue. Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a high-pressure hose to extinguish the fire in the kitchen.

Watch manager Simon Ashton, who attended the incident with Green Watch from Bromborough fire station, said: “The gas hob had been left on by accident under the chip pan, causing the oil to ignite.

“By chance the occupier, who had been asleep, woke and smelt smoke and discovered the fire.

“They did the right thing and shut the kitchen door and evacuated the property.

“We advise people to take extra care around cooking with oils. We also advise people do not leave cooking unattended and have working smoke alarms on each level of their home.”

Firefighters used a fan to clear smoke from the property, carried out a home fire safety check and fitted two smoke alarms.

The kitchen was damaged by smoke, as were three additional rooms.

A woman was given a precautionary check-up by paramedics at the scene.

For free fire safety advice call 0800 7315958.