A family fled their home after a fire broke out in their kitchen when their extractor fan caught alight.

The fire broke out at their home in Crispin Road, Strood, at about 8.30pm yesterday (Tuesday), and firefighters from the town were called out to the home to put out the flames.

The crew said they isolated the electricity supply to the fan which helped put out the fire and then they removed it from the kitchen.

The family which live there, a couple with a young child, were unharmed and had got out of the property before firefighters arrived.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It was a small fire and there was a minimal amount of damage but that’s because it broke out before bedtime and the family were aware of it.

“They didn’t have smoke alarms so if they had been in bed and had not discovered the fire the situation could have been a lot different.

“We fitted smoke alarms in the house before we left and every home should have them.”