Lucky Escape

[Katharine]

I have just had a disturbing phone call from my mother - 90 last September. She had a new microwave but wasn't happy that she understood how to use it - my sister, Jayne, was going over on Friday to teach her.

Anyway, for supper Mother decided to heat a mince pie while she ate her first course. She lives in sheltered accommodation so when the pie caught fire all the alarms rang and Cambridge Fire Brigade sent four men As far as I can gather it was out long before the men arrived but they came into her and were wonderful. They couldn't understand how calm she was (Neither can I!) The main problem was resetting the fire alarms and fire doors in the accommodation. The staff are not resident and one had to be called in to do it.

Mother now wants a new simpler microwave, more like her old one. I hope Jayne will make sure she thoroughly understands it before she uses it.

I'm feeling quite shaky myself as I type this! I suppose the lesson is READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!

[J.R.]

Mince pie catching fire in a microwave ? Seems strange !

I take it Mum had removed it from the foil container, Katharine ?

Not trying to be funny, but just a thought !

[Katharine]

I take it Mum had removed it from the foil container, Katharine ?

That is possible - I didn't really ask many questions she was just telling me all about it - repeating the same things not giving too many details. She has to write it down for the Fire Brigade as an incident.

The only other time she has been an 'official incident' was as a newly qualified District Midwife she cycled to her first delivery and 'scattered the pedestrians' at a zebra crossing!

[sejintenej]

I take it Mum had removed it from the foil container, Katharine ?

That is possible - I didn't really ask many questions she was just telling me all about it - repeating the same things not giving too many details. She has to write it down for the Fire Brigade as an incident.

That was my first idea also; if that is the case she would not have been the first and she will not be the last. The Fire Brigade are experiencd enough that they should immediately have been able to see if the foil case (remains of) was in the microwave afterwards and, if so, make appropriate suggestions.

The only other time she has been an 'official incident' was as a newly qualified District Midwife she cycled to her first delivery and 'scattered the pedestrians' at a zebra crossing!

So what was wrong with that? Evidently there were no zebras at the Zebra Crossing and the pedestrians should have been at the Pedestrian Crossing. Sheeeeeeeeessssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh what is the world coming to - nearly as bad as being called a Jay in New York or looking for ducks to cross over to road - that WOULD be an incident worthy of the heavy boot of JR and Uzi armed backup gang.

As for getting a new, simpler microwave - not a chance. They are like mobile phones - designed to be increasingly impossible to understand unless you have a PhD in mathematics and advanced computing with a first in Martian (Venusian at a stretch). The new one WILL be more complicated. more impossible to understand - but then they are not designed for use - rather to appear in the glossy kitchen ads and in the kitchens of Ladies who lunch / dine but never cook (apart from bringing in from the delicatessan and calling ot their own). Just tell he she is too intelligent to use something like that - an oven cooks better (and that's a man speaking!)

[Katharine]

I had another long conversation with her tonight - she is very calm about it and knows it was her fault (she was quite rude to me when I queried the metal case of the pie! ) She did not understand the touch screen controls, and is determined to buy another microwave with a 'turn the knob timer', I hope she finds one.

She is still a very good cook, they had to fit her unit with an extractor fan, they had not expected any of the old dears to be still making marmalade, chutney etc. Most times when we talk about her cooking I get complaints that they are not allowed gas cookers and have to have electric. At 87 when she went in it was the first time she had cooked by electricity but she conquered that.

Her last comment to me tonight was 'I don't like cold mince pies, never have and never will!'

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I once incinerated a chocolate muffin in a microwave. I think that I must have set the timer to ten minutes rather than ten seconds. Busy day, stuff cold muffin in microwave, head upstairs to let someone in, start chatting, hear the person I am supposed to be assisting stomping up the stairs, see her even grumpier face, and hear her tell me that the Tea Room is full of smoke. She wasn't joking - brown, greasy, acrid smoke.

I rang Security to tell them what had happened and ask why I couldn't hear fire alarms. Turns out that the smoke detectors are inside the air con vents and the air con was switched off for the weekend.

Glad to hear that your Mum is OK.

xx

[michael scuffil]

Glad to hear your mother suffered no serious consequences. But I must admit that I have never experienced a mince-pie that survived its micro-waving in an edible condition. Some things really ought never to be micro-waved: eggs for reasons of safety, potatoes and pastry for reasons of edibility.

[sejintenej]

She is still a very good cook, they had to fit her unit with an extractor fan, they had not expected any of the old dears to be still making marmalade, chutney etc. Most times when we talk about her cooking I get complaints that they are not allowed gas cookers and have to have electric. At 87 when she went in it was the first time she had cooked by electricity but she conquered that.

Her last comment to me tonight was 'I don't like cold mince pies, never have and never will!'

Good for her though I can understand the home's reluctance to allow gas stoves.
The mother of a friend of ours is in a home in Epping and does all her own cooking, cleaning etc. Walks down the road each day to the supermarket, or to get her hair done and to chat to friends in the tea shop - it is only about half a mile each way.
Just had a slight stroke but now back home alone; she is 97 and still doesn't use a stick!
That I can respect.

[blondie95]

Im glad she is ok and still going to percievere with the microwave. I have had many a thing explode in the mircowave-never causing a fire or the need for the firemen (although i do wish) just causing a whole lot of mess

[blondie95]

I thought i would share with you all my near miss with a microwave fire only an hour ago: i left a bit of foil on the mullerice pot i was heating up-saw one large spark and was quick enough to open the door. Its very easy to do

[Katharine]

Argos have exchanged Mother's microwave for another one with a turn the knob timer, no questions asked. Apparently my brother made one of his rare visits and decided that there was a fault with the original one. Result one happy Mother who can now eat her mince pies warm!