Fire chiefs have shared images of the devastating damage to a Newcastle home as they warn the public never to tackle a fire themselves.
Firefighters were called to a kitchen blaze at around 5.04pm on Thursday, January 5, where oil cooking in a pan had caught fire. The flames quickly spread when the residents poured water on the hot pan in a bid to extinguish the fire.
Crews were on the scene in just four minutes and were able to put out the fire, however, it had caused severe damage to the kitchen.
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At 8.11pm that same evening crews were called to an electrical fire in Killingworth. A suspected burst water pipe had caused the fuse box to ignite but, when the occupants tried to extinguish it using water, it had spread to the cavity between the floor joists.
Thankfully, firefighters were on scene in a matter of minutes and used cutting gear to access the cavity to tackle the blaze.
No one was injured in either of the incidents, but Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFS) said they could have "ended in tragedy."
Service delivery group manager, Steve Burdis, has called on residents to “avoid putting your lives in danger” by trying to extinguish the flames.
He said: “In both incidents, we were on the scene in a matter of minutes to immediately begin tackling the fire and preventing it from spreading any further. The quick work of our fire control, and then the decisive actions of those crews who responded, stopped any further damage from taking place at either address.
“We don’t necessarily expect the public to understand how to tackle different kinds of fires, or how different types of fire will react to water. That is why we would never endorse anyone tackling a fire themselves and would always encourage you to get to safety and call 999.
“Throwing water on a fire caused by oil igniting can be disastrous, this causes an explosive reaction that can be those in the vicinity at immediate risk of harm.
"Similarly, when dealing with electric fires, never use water to try and extinguish it. This can again cause a fire to spread even further.
“Our thoughts are with the families involved in both these incidents as we know just how devastating it can be to fall victim to a fire.
“This could have happened to anybody and, above anything, we are relieved nobody was injured.
"The occupants at one of the addresses did shut the door to the kitchen during the fire and this greatly reduced the spread. Always keep internal doors closed.
“Please remember these incidents if you’re unfortunate to experience a fire in your home and make sure you have a working smoke alarm fitted.”
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