Fire warnings over drunk cooking

People should get takeaways instead of cooking while drunk, a senior fire officer has warned.

It follows an early morning rescue from a house fire of a 24-year-old man in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.

North Wales Fire Service said the man had been drinking and not heard the smoke alarm during the fire in Grosvenor Road at 0432 GMT

Neighbours saw the smoke and dialled 999. The fire service said the man had fallen asleep while cooking.

Tom Pye from the brigade said: "Our advice is to never cook after drinking - please prepare a sandwich before you go out or get a takeaway instead."

He said firefighters entered the property and led the man, the only occupant, outside to safety.

The man had not been woken by the alarm and appeared to have been drinking, he said.

It appears that this man has switched on the grill to cook himself something to eat but has fallen asleep Tom Pye, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Crews used four sets of breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets in extinguishing the fire.

The man was was treated by paramedics at the scene for smoke inhalation.

The fire was caused by a grill left unattended, the fire service said.

Tom Pye of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: "With the run up to the Christmas party season quickly approaching, this incident acts as a clear warning that drinking and cooking simply don't mix.

"It appears that this man has switched on the grill to cook himself something to eat but has fallen asleep.

"High levels of inebriation can cause individuals to become oblivious to danger, and in this case, even the activation of the alarm did not rouse the occupant.

"Had the neighbour not been alerted by the sound of the smoke alarm and contacted North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, we could very easily have been dealing with another fire death in north Wales."