by Peter Walker

pwalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A pet dog was snatched from a fire by a quick-thinking neighbour at Wrotham this morning.

Neighbours heard the fire alarm sound at the mid-terrace property on Thorndyke Way before discovering that the kitchen was full of smoke at about 9am.
After breaking down the back door of the house, which was empty except for the dog, they took the pet home to safety.
The dog, whose breed is unknown, is now fit and well.
Firefighters believe the blaze started after a hob was left switched on, allowing a tea towel to catch fire.
From 9.26am, and in just a couple of minutes, it took about 10 crew members to extinguish the fire after the neighbour called 999.

Larkfield fire station watch manager, Mitchell Kelly, said: “Fortunately, this was a minor incident but fires can spread very quickly. As we’ve seen today, working smoke alarms are the best early warning system you can have if you are unlucky enough to have a fire in your home.”

“Obviously, our advice would always be never go into a building that has a fire, leave that to the fire service. But, on this occasion, we do acknowledge the brave actions of the neighbour.”

The fire caused only minor damage to the kitchen worktop, while the rest of the house was smoke damaged.

Mitchell added: “The safest option is to make sure cookers and other appliances are always fully switched off after use and never store items around ovens and hobs.”