Smoke alarm alerts neighbour to kitchen fire

Firefighters were called to a kitchen fire in Basildon last night after a tea towel, which was left on the hob, caught alight.

Crews were called to a block of flats in Spire Road, Basildon, at 9:33pm yesterday when a neighbour heard a smoke alarm going off.

Firefighters used a ladder to gain entry to the property via a window.

On entering the flat, firefighters confirmed there was a fire in the kitchen, caused by a tea towel resting an electric hob. The hob had been left on and nobody was home.

Crews worked to extinguish the fire by 10:37pm, and cleared the flat of smoke.

Watch Manager, Mark Blakebrough, at Basildon Fire Station, said: “It’s really important to keep cooker surfaces clear of flammable objects. Even after cooking, hobs remain hot for some time and items such as tea towels and oven mitts can catch alight.

“Fortunately, this property had a working smoke alarm which alerted a neighbour to the fire, and we were able to extinguish it quickly, before it spread throughout the flat.”

We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home.

You can book a free Home Fire Safety visit by either popping into your local fire station, calling 0300 303 0088 or booking a visit online at essex-fire.gov.uk/book