THERE have been more than 400 kitchen fires in the borough in the past five years.

Cooks need to show more care in the kitchen according to London Fire Brigade as new statistics show kitchen fires are becoming a real concern.

In the past five years there have been more than 70 injuries and one death in the borough as a result of the 400 kitchen fires.

Richard Binder, LFB borough commander for Redbridge, said: “Kitchen fires are a real concern for us and the most frustrating thing is that they can usually be prevented.

"Simple mistakes often lead to serious fires.

“Most people think it won’t happen to them but the figures speak for themselves, it can happen and it has to over 400 people in our borough”.

Advice from the LFB is to remain aware and don't leave cooking unattended.

Ovens or hobs being accidentally left on are highlighted as a concern, as are chip pans and items being left too close to cookers.

A large number of serious kitchen fires also begin when people have been drinking alcohol.

In a bid to reduce the number of fires in kitchens, LFB is launching its first ever kitchen fire safety campaign this week, COOKSAFE.

It involves a series of events across London, aimed at highlighting the fire risks associated with kitchens. The brigade has also produced a ‘recipes for disaster’ booklet to highlight how easily kitchen fires can start.

The main COOKSAFE event takes place at Borough Market on Friday, September 10, where firefighters, along with a top chef, will show shoppers how to sizzle safely.