Kitchen fires prompt drinking and cooking warning

The fire service attended two kitchen fires in St Helier during the night

A fire service has warned of the dangers of drinking alcohol and cooking after it was called to two kitchen fires.

Jersey Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters had helped a man get out of a house in St Helier and treated him for smoke inhalation after unattended cooking had started a fire at 05:30 BST on Sunday.

It followed a kitchen fire, which was also caused by unattended cooking, in another house in the town at 21:30 BST on Saturday, the service added.

Duty station commander Mark Bailey-Walker said the risks of drinking alcohol and cooking "greatly increases the potential for physical harm should you fall asleep".

He said the man had been able to be rescued on Sunday morning because of a smoke alarm which had alerted neighbours to the fire.

Mr Bailey-Walker highlighted the importance of working smoke alarms and warned of the dangers of leaving cooking unattended or using the hob as an extension of a worktop, which he said could cause accidental fires.

"Please consider yourself and others... following a night out and make the choice not to cook, but rather to enjoy takeaway food instead," he added.