Chip Pan Fire Demo Considered Too Risky

The Telegraph is carrying a newstory about the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service banning chip pan fire demonstrations because they deem the demonstration too risky to perform for schoolchildren. Chip pan fires (hot oil fires) are Britain's leading cause of fire-related injuries. As I understand it, the ruling isn't because of a risk to students or property during the demonstration itself (which would have been my guess since it's a spectacular fire), but because it was felt the demonstration encouraged children to try to put out a chip pan fire at home. I disagree. I think seeing the demonstration alerts kids to the danger of overheating oil or adding anything wet to hot oil. The demonstration dramatically illustrates why kids don't want to throw water on the fire. Pamphlets are nice, but I'm not convinced kids will read them or recall what they read. No one forgets a fire like the one in the photo.

Chip Pan Fire Demonstration | Less-Dangerous Fire Projects
Photo: Simulated chip pan fire. (Ben Mills)