THE occupiers of a house in Perth Street, Burnley, were issued with a smoke detector by firefighters who were called to a chip pan blaze.

Station officer Steve Cope said the occupants had done the right thing in covering the pan with damp cloths but had then taken it outside.

This was something he did not recommend as the air could have caused it to burst into flames again.

He said: "It would have been better to put more damp cloths on it if they were unsure.

"There was no smoke alarm in the house so one was given to them."

The fire, at 10.20pm yesterday, destroyed the chip pan and caused slight smoke damage to the kitchen area.

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