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Fires in Herne Bay and Rochester caused by cats in less than a week

Cat owners have sounded the alarm after their pets sent their kitchens up in flames less than a week apart.

Firefighters descended on homes in Herne Bay and then Rochester after the animals knocked on kitchen hobs with items on the stoves.

Both fires were caused by cats turning on hobs with items left on top
Both fires were caused by cats turning on hobs with items left on top

With one resident forced to flee the flames, another woke to a smoke-filled flat as fire alarms rang out.

Fire crews were sent to an incident in Rochester after Maine Coon kittens Gizmo and Pip were playing in the kitchen.

Their owner had shut them out of the lounge to allow her to do chores in peace.

But the five-month-old moggies are thought to have knocked the hob, turning it on.

The owner said: “I heard the fire alarm go off and went out the lounge to find smoke in the kitchen.

“I quickly shut the door and got out of the house, with the kittens, and called 999.”

Two fire engines were called to the home on Maidstone Road at 11.42pm on December 22 and crews used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire which had been contained to the kitchen because the door had been closed.

She continued: “I just want to warn people about what can happen as I never thought my kittens could turn on the hob.

“I’ll be making sure to keep my hobs clear of items and turned off at the wall and would advise others too as well.”

The second blaze happened in Herne Bay just four days earlier when crews were called at 8.05pm to reports of a small fire in a kitchen.

A fire in Rochester and another in Herne Bay has been caused by cats
A fire in Rochester and another in Herne Bay has been caused by cats

Thankfully, the resident had already extinguished the flames when they arrived, so firefighters ventilated the property.

It is believed cat Binks jumped up on the counter to look for some treats and accidentally turned on the hob, which had a tray and bread on it.

As the pet owner had caught the fire in its early stages, the damage was contained to the hob.

She said: “I woke up to the smoke alarms going off and smoke filling the flat.

“I quickly ran into the kitchen, and I could see items on the hob smouldering so quickly turned it off.

“I grabbed Binks, my cat, ran out of the flat and called 999.

“The crews got here so quickly and made sure everything was okay, they were wonderful.

“I didn’t even think this could happen, but I won’t be leaving anything on my hob again.”

In 2024, crews attended 12 incidents where pets were believed to have caused fires in the kitchen.

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