Man badly burned in chip pan fire

The man, in his 20s, received burns to his head, neck, back and arms after the contents of the flaming pan splashed back onto him as he carried it from his kitchen to the bathroom.

Two fire crews from Littlehamp-ton rushed to the blaze, in a ground-floor flat of a three-storey block in Worthing Road, just before 3pm on Tuesday.

There was only minor damage to the kitchen, and the fire was out when the emergency services arrived. Paramedics treated the man at the scene before taking him to Worthing Hospital. His condition is not known.

The incident prompted West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service to renew warnings of the dangers of using chip pans, which cause nearly one-fifth of all accidental fires in the home across the UK each year.

Deputy district fire commander for Arun, Dave McMahon, said: "Chip pans can be extremely dangerous, with nearly 20 people killed or injured every day in accidental kitchen fires.

"This incident highlights the dangers of using these pans and deep fat fryers to cook food, and why you should never move a pan if it is on fire.

"If you do find your chip pan on fire, call the fire and rescue service immediately. Never move the pan, and turn off the heat only if you can do so safely. Don't throw water on it, as the pan will explode. Under no circumstances should you ever attempt to tackle a fire yourself."

The flat was equipped with a smoke alarm, but the batteries were flat.