Firefighters have urged to residents cooking with chip and oil pans to be more careful after being called out to two incidents in the Watford area in a 12-hour period.

Crews from Garston were first called to a family home in Churchfields Road at around 5pm yesterday when chip pan overheated and started to give off a lot of smoke.

A woman and two children left the house before calling 999.

Watch commander Chris Merritt said the woman had done the right thing by turning the heat off before firefighters were able to take the pan outside to allow it to cool down.

He said: “If people are going to cook with oils we want them to be very careful to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. It is also important they check their smoke alarm is working properly.”

Last night fire crews in Watford were called to an address in Woodford Road, near Watford Junction Station, when a oil pan caught fire after being left unattended.

Watch manger Dave Elliott said a couple in the house managed to cover the pan with a wet towel and get it into the garden.

Although he commended the swift action taken by those in the house he said anyone using oil or chip pans should never leave them unattended.

Mr Elliott added: “If something does catch fire get out, stay out and give us a call.”