Fire spread to fan and kitchen units

Firefighters tackled a blaze at home in Kingsnorth last Thursday (July 11) after a pan, heating oil, was left unattended.

Crews were called to a house in Centurion Walk, in Park Farm, just before 8pm by a resident who had heard a fire alarm in a nearby house.

It is believed the homeowner had left a pan of oil on the hob unattended, which then caught alight.

The fire spread to the extractor fan above the hob and the kitchen units. The rest of the house suffered smoke damage.

Ashford watch manager Mark Thomas, who attended the scene, said: “We managed to quickly bring the blaze under control before removing smoke from the home with a positive pressure ventilation fan.

“A nearby resident called us after hearing a smoke alarm sounding in the property. Given the speed in which the fire was beginning to spread, there is little doubt that without their actions this incident had the potential to become far more serious.” No one was hurt in the incident. Now, firefighters are calling for homeowners to take extra care in the kitchen.

Mark added: “While accidents can and do happen I would urge anyone cooking with hot oil to stay at the hob, and if you do need to leave the kitchen, ensure you take the pan away from the heat source.

“This incident also shows just how important it is to fit and maintain working smoke alarms on every floor of your home.”