A woman and child were dramatically rescued by firefighters after a blaze broke out at a fried chicken takeaway in South End, Croydon, during the early hours of Sunday morning.
The fire, which tore through part of the Perfect Chicken shop, is believed to have been caused by overheated cooking oil in a deep fat fryer. The incident prompted a swift response from the London Fire Brigade, with crews from Croydon, Purley, and Woodside stations called to the scene at 1.14am.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property and led the woman and child to safety from flats above the takeaway using an internal staircase. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Half of the ground floor of the building and ducting in the extraction system from the ground floor to the roof sustained damage in the fire, which was brought under control by 2.39am.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said:
“Take extra care when cooking with hot oil as it can easily overheat and catch fire. Never fill a pan more than one third full of fat or oil, and ensure food is dry before placing it into hot oil—oil and water are a dangerous mix.
They added that using electronic deep fat fryers, which feature automatic temperature controls, is a much safer alternative to traditional stovetop frying. The Brigade also stressed the importance of keeping kitchen surfaces, hobs, cooker hoods, and extractor fans clean to prevent grease build-up, which can ignite and fuel a fire.
The incident has prompted renewed warnings about kitchen safety, especially in commercial food establishments operating late at night.
