FIREFIGHTERS were called to a flat in Castletown after a grill pan caught light.
A fire alarm sounded in the building on Malew Street at 9.49pm on Friday.
Leading Firefighter Jeff Howland and his crew saw smoke coming from the first-floor flat.
He and his crew tried to get into the flat, which was believed to be occupied at the time, but were unable to get the occupants to respond.
Due to this serious situation, an extra fire engine from Port Erin along with an ambulance were called.
As fire crews were just about to force an entry the woman occupant and her young child opened the front door. The flat which was severely smoke-logged.
Fire crews using two breathing apparatus swiftly entered the smoke-logged flat and dealt with fire, which was caused by a grill pan in an oven being left unattended after the woman fell asleep.
Paramedics carried out checks on both the occupants who had slight smoke inhalation but they were not taken to hospital.
A fire service spokesman said: ‘It is lucky that at this incident no one was injured and damage was limited, but it just goes to show how important it is to have your wits about you in the kitchen.
‘Never leave cooking unattended and never put anything other than cooking on your cooker top, because as in this case, accidents can happen and the effects can be devastating. Serious fires can start when you are distracted, even for a few seconds.
‘When cooking fried food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool. Never fill the pan more than one-third full of oil. Never throw water over the pan.
‘Your first line of defence should be to have a smoke alarm fitted. If there is a fire, a properly-maintained working smoke alarm will immediately warn you, giving you and everyone in your home time to escape to safety.’
