By Imogen Horton, News Editor
The charity Electrical Safety First is urging students not to ‘drink and fry’ as a recent survey has shown that many students carry out reckless practice in the kitchen.
Recent statistics have shown that between 2012 and 2017, 911 accidental fires took place in student halls of residence in England. One of these was the October 2015 blaze in the University of Bristol’s Colston Street halls of residence, which started when a pan of oil was left unattended in a kitchen area.
This is equivalent to five fires a week, every term. Of these, 80 per cent occurred in the kitchen and 60 per cent at night, a time when students are likely to have drunk. A recent survey has revealed that 56 per cent of students admitted to cooking whilst drunk or after drinking. As a result, Electrical Safety First has urged students not to ‘drink and fry’.
Fire has broken out in student accommodation in the centre of Bristol. Colston Street closed while fire crews attend. pic.twitter.com/6gylnvabAD
— BBC Points West (@bbcpointswest) 12 October 2015
One third year student revealed to Epigram that they had once put some curly fries in the oven before falling asleep after coming home from a night out with a friend.
'My friend came downstairs because she was worried about where I was, I was passed out and there was smoke billowing out the oven. The pyrex dish was black, the curly fries were burnt to a crisp. All this smoke poured into the kitchen and I was just asleep under the table. It actually could have been quite bad.'
It's Freshers' Week and with five fires a week breaking out in Halls of Residence, we're in @theipaper looking at the basic electrical safety mistakes students need to avoid - including keeping lightbulbs away from the microwave! https://t.co/nuR413cSom
— Electrical Safety First (@ElecSafetyFirst) 26 September 2018
Electrical Safety First has also warned students not to put objects such as lightbulbs or tin foil in the microwave, as one fifth of students admitted to misusing the microwave either for fun or by mistake. A quarter admitted to putting a knife or fork in a toaster while a further one in eight admitted to leaving the oven on with the door open to warm up the room.
Emma Drackford, director of communications at Electrical Safety First has urged those living independently for the first time to ‘take care in the kitchen when handling electrical appliances'.
‘With so many students admitting to taking to the stove under the influence of alcohol and a significant number falling asleep with food cooking we are warning students not to drink and fry.'
Featured Image: Epigram / George Clarke
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