A mother from Sheppey narrowly escaped injury after attempting to extinguish a chip pan fire with water last night (Tuesday).

When the smoke alarm sounded in the family home in Buttercup Avenue, Minster, at 5pm, the mum discovered that a pan of oil which had been left unattended on the cooker had overheated and caught fire.

She took it from the stove and tried to put it out using cold water. But that caused the fat to explode into the kitchen.

No one was hurt but the kitchen was damaged by smoke and there was minor damage to a kitchen blind.

Firefighters offered the family safety advice and tips on what to do with a chip pan fire.

Watch manager Salt, from Eastchurch fire station, said: "Mealtimes can be a very busy time for families and it is easy to get distracted when trying to juggle many tasks. But I would urge people to make fire safety their main ingredient in the kitchen and never leave cooking unattended."

He added: "This mum was extremely fortunate not to have been seriously injured as she tackled the fire."

He warned: "If you are unlucky enough to have a chip pan fire, never put water on to hot oil as it heats up, expands, turns to steam and rises in a big steam cloud. Each particle of steam is coated in burning oil. If you are near it you could be badly burned.

“My advice would be turn off the heat if it’s safe to do so – but never lean over the pan to reach the controls. And most importantly, get you and your family out of the property, stay out and call the fire service out.”

What to do with a chip pan fire: http://bit.ly/296S2Bn

Tips for kitchen safety: http://bit.ly/298enjs