Family homeless and cat dies after kitchen fire

Smoke damage left the family homeless after the fire broke out in their kitchen in Mead Field Drive

A family have been made homeless and a cat has died as a result of a blaze which started in a kitchen.

Firefighters were called at 19:50 GMT on Monday to Mead Field Drive in Great Hallingbury, Essex, close to Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire.

Crew manager Steve Perry said it was most probably caused by items "accidentally left on top of the hob".

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service issued safety advice, reminding people to keep their hobs clear of clutter.

A resident had accidentally left items on the hob and then left to go to work.

Mr Perry said: "It's incredibly easy to accidentally turn your hob on, and if that happens, and something is on top of it, a kitchen fire is inevitable."

Hob and cooker top tips

• Never use the hob or cooker as a storage area

• Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob

• Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order – a build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire

• Double check the cooker is off when you've finished cooking

Source: Essex County Fire & Rescue Service