North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is emphasising the importance of not mixing cooking after drinking over the Christmas period and the importance of having working smoke alarms after a young man had a lucky escape from a kitchen fire in his home in Bangor.

Firefighters from  were called to a property on the High Street at 03.22am this morning (December 24).The fire started in the kitchen after cooking was left unattended and this resulted in the kitchen being destroyed, with damage to the rest of the first and second floors. The occupier was rescued from the property by firefighters and taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

There were smoke detectors fitted in the property but one was covered over and rendered useless.  Luckily the second detector in the property did operate and alert the occupier of the fire.

Stuart Millington, Senior Fire Safety Manager, said: “Drinking and cooking simply don't mix - alcohol can cause people to become oblivious to danger. This message is particularly important at this time of year as many may be drinking alcohol while celebrating the festive season.

"Never, ever leave cooking unattended - it only takes a few minutes for a small fire to develop into one that is serious and life threatening.

“Cooking after drinking is a recipe for disaster. Countless fires are caused each year by people returning home from the pub and deciding to cook a snack for themselves before going to bed. My advice is to play it safe. Prepare a snack before you go out or pick up a take away on the way home instead.

“Also, never try and tackle the fire yourself – our advice is to get out, stay out and call us out.

"This man was extremely lucky to escape. You should never tamper with or cover smoke alarms - a working smoke alarm is essential to safeguard the safety of you and your family. Please check yours by pressing the ‘test’ button to keep you and your family safe. For advice on fire safety risks, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service offers free home safety checks. A member of the Service will visit your home, undertake a safety assessment, and if necessary, fit a new smoke alarm free of charge.

"These checks are available free for all residents in North Wales. To request a check, phone our 24 hour hotline on 0800 169 1234, e-mail cfs@nwales-fireservice.org.uk , log on to our website www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk Please leave your contact details and a member of the Service will be in contact to arrange a convenient time to visit your home."