Firefighters issue safety warning ahead of World Cup

With fans gathering at home or hosting barbecues, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging the public to take extra care to avoid preventable accidents.

Deb Forder, safety manager, said: “A penalty shootout or drama around a video referee decision are big attention grabbers, making it easy to momentarily take our eyes off the fire safety ball. So, play it safe; you could prepare food before kick-off; or buy takeaways and home delivered pizzas to remove the need to do any cooking.”

Ms Forder also reminded fans to avoid leaving cooking unattended.

She said: “Remember, if you are prepping your own meal, remove any pan off the hob and turnoff the cooker if you’re leaving the kitchen to grab the latest on the big game, and don’t drink and fry.”

The service recommends avoiding chip pans in favour of safer options.

Ms Forder said: “We recommend avoiding chip pans, which create an unnecessary home fire risk; instead, use a thermostat-controlled deep fat fryer or an air fryer.”

Barbecue safety is also a concern during the tournament. The service advises never leaving a barbecue unattended and ensuring it’s in good working order. Fans are also reminded to keep flags, banners and bunting away from candles and barbecues.

Ms Forder said: “Enjoy the World Cup, it’s a great way to bring communities together, but remember that football, alcohol and cooking are never the best team combination.”