Paphos fire caused by pot left on stove

Fire fighters in Paphos responded to a call on Thursday morning where a cooking pot was left on the stove.

According to the fire department, the dispatcher got a message at 6:30am regarding a raging fire inside a flat on Demetri Lymberti street in Paphos.

The fire was immediately extinguished according to Cyprus News Agency (CNA), while fire fighters who rushed to the scene examined the area and conducted a proper ventilation of the house.

Preliminary findings pointed to a cooking steel pot forgotten on the stove as the likely cause of fire. There were no reports of injuries. 

A quick proper response to a pot catching fire can typically prevent an incident. However, many cases involve pots forgotten on the stove for too long until water evaporates, resulting to food inside the pot getting dried and catching on fire.

Experts say if there is a fire in a cooking pan or pot, people should use an oven mitt to clap on the lid, then move the pan off the burner, and turn off the stove. The lack of oxygen will stop the flames in a pot.

If there is no safe way to put the lid back on, a fire extinguisher should be used, aiming at the base of the fire, not the flames. Water should never be used to put out grease fires, as it can spread the fire by splattering the grease.