AN elderly person needed first aid after a chip pan caught fire at a property in Ferndown.

Firefighters from Ferndown and Redhill Park were called to a property in Pickard Road at around 1.24pm on Saturday.

“On arrival, crews found a small fire in the kitchen involving a pan of hot oil,” a spokesperson for the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) said.

“Firefighters extinguished the fire by removal and provided first aid to the elderly occupant, before ambulance service colleagues arrived.”

The incident has prompted a warning from firefighters over the use of pans of hot oil.

“Firefighters arrived at this incident within six minutes and did a great job in preventing the fire spreading further,” said station manager Chris Wood, who attended the incident.

“We do not advise residents to use chip pans but realise they can’t always be avoided. If you have to use a chip pan, please never leave it unattended.

“If the oil or fat within the pan starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave it to cool. You should never put food into a pan when the oil is smoking.”

Chris added: “If your pan does catch fire, do not try to move it and never throw water over the pan. If you can, turn the heat off, leave the room and property and call 999.”

For more information and fire safety advice, log on to www.dwfire.org.uk.