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Home Sittingbourne News Article
A dog and a cat started separate kitchen fires after they managed to turn on hobs with their paws, a fire service said.
On Tuesday, eight-year-old border collie Moss jumped up at a cooker to reach his owner’s leftovers and turned on three gas rings, two of which ignited and set fire to a cushioned tray left on top of the hob.
Two fire engines were called to the bungalow in Gore Road, Sittingbourne, at 6.07pm.
Firefighters had previously visited the property to carry out a 'safe and well visit' and fitted smoke alarms, which alerted tenants Jane Hammond-Hawkins and her husband Ian to the blaze.
Jane was taken to hospital as a precaution for minor smoke inhalation.
Speaking afterwards, she said: “I just can’t stress enough, do not leave anything on top of your hob.
"Our kitchen is quite small, so there’s not a lot of space, but there’s no excuse."
“Never ever in a million years did I think a dog would set fire to my kitchen,” she added.
On the Friday before, an oblivious cat stepped on the ignition button of a gas cooker at its home in Boughton Monchelsea, near Maidstone, which set fire to a tea towel left on top of the stove.
Two fire engines were called to the house, in Penfold Gardens, at 12.45am.
Two adults and two children managed to escape the property, along with their three dogs and the cat. Before leaving the house, the family-of-four were able to shut the kitchen door, which helped to reduce fire spread and smoke damage to the rest of the house.
They were also taken to hospital for precautionary checks for smoke inhalation.
'Never ever in a million years did I think a dog would set fire to my kitchen...'
In January alone, Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) had 100 kitchen-related call-outs across Kent including fires, near misses and false alarms.
Others have included smoke-logged kitchens caused by burnt food left unattended, used cooking pans being put back on a hot hob and faulty appliances.
Colin King, KFRS area manager for customer safety and engagement, said: “Unfortunately, over half of all the fires we attend start in the kitchen.
"The majority are caused by unattended cooking, a build-up of grease and fat on the cooker or by kitchen mishaps, where items such as tea towels, chopping boards and washing baskets have been left on the hob.
“You can help to reduce the risk of a fire by following some simple tips including keeping an eye on your cooking, using a timer to avoid burning your food, never storing or placing household items on your cooker or stove, keeping your appliances clean and by keeping children and pets well away from your cooking area.”
