A Devonport Road couple have lost their kitchen after water thrown on a pot of hot oil on the stove fuelled the fire.

Firefighters were called to the fire in the home of the Tauranga couple around 7.30pm on Sunday.

A firefighter demonstrates the dangers of leaving cooking unattended.

Tauranga senior firefighter Craig Dempsey says water caused the oil fire to flare, scorching walls and the ceiling.

'All the walls had a good singe,” says Craig.

'And the roof, and there was a bit of water damage.”

Fire crews were on the scene nice and early and prevented the fire spreading into the roof cavity.

'It's a terminal reminder to people, don't throw water onto oil fires,” says Craig

'They get bigger, not smaller.”

Craig says the couple's kitchen will need to be replaced.

He urges anyone dealing with an oil fire to cover the burning pot with a damp tea towel, or slide a chopping board over it to prevent the oil flaring. A dry powder fire extinguisher can also be used.