A house fire in Chatham is believed to have been caused by an electrical charger.

Firefighters have issued a warning of leaving chargers constantly on, even when they are not charging anything, following the blaze in Ordnance Street.

Crews from Medway fire station were called to the house at 2.41pm on Thursday after reports of a bedroom fire in the property.

Upon arrival, crews used breathing apparatus and a hose reel to put out the fire and a positive pressure ventilation fan to remove the smoke from the house.

It is thought that the charger had been covered by clothing that caught fire when the charger became too hot.

A smoke alarm had been fitted on the ground floor of the property, but not upstairs, where the blaze broke out.

Crew manager David Devine said: “This incident highlights the need to fit and maintain working smoke alarms on every floor of your home. Thankfully no-one was hurt, but had the fire remained undetected for much longer the outcome could have been far worse”

He added: “I would also encourage everyone to turn off electrical appliances when they are not in use to help prevent a similar fire breaking out in your home.”