by Nicola Jordan

A man suffered burns after rescuing four dogs and two cats from a house fire in Wouldham this morning.

It is believed one of the pets pulled a curtain down on to a Calor gas heater at his home in the High Street, while he was in the garden. It set the curtain and soft furnishings alight.

When firefigfhters arrived at about 7am, the middle-aged man had managed to get out.

He was treated by paramedics for burns to his hands and head. None of the animals were harmed.

The fire has prompted Kent Fire and Rescue Service to warn people not to tackle fires themselves

Strood watch manager Ian Simpson said: "The property didn’t have a working smoke alarm so the homeowner was only alerted to the blaze when he returned to the room and discovered the fire.

"He then attempted to put the fire out using a bucket of water and in the process burnt his face, forehead and arms.”

Ian added: “If fire breaks out in your home, get out, stay out and call the fire service, we are professionally trained to deal with these types of incidents. Never try to tackle a blaze yourself as this incident highlights people can get seriously hurt.

“If you are considering using a portable heater keep it away from soft furnishings and make sure pets are not left alone in a room where there is a fire risk.

“Fit a working alarm on every floor of your home and test it weekly – it’s the single most important piece of safety equipment you can have in your home.”