Smoke alarms alert resident to kitchen fire

Give yourself peace of mind this Christmas with working smoke alarms, that’s the message from Southend firefighters after working smoke alarms alerted a woman to a kitchen fire today.

Firefighters were called to a house fire in Bournemouth Park Road in Southend at 3:36pm today.

On arrival, crews reported that there was a fire in the kitchen which was heavily smoke logged.

Crews worked to extinguish the fire by 3:57pm.

The fire was caused by items near the hob that had caught alight.

Crew Manager Mark Crouch from Southend Fire Station said: “Working smoke alarms saves lives and we recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home. Make sure to test them regularly and have peace of mind knowing that they can alert you or any passers by to the first sign of a fire in your home.

“We want every home in Essex to have working smoke alarms. If you or someone you know doesn’t have working smoke alarms at home, we can fit them for free. Visit www.essex-fire.gov.uk/book or call 0300 303 0088 to get in touch with our Home Fire Safety team.”