Kitchen blaze caused by pet dog - fire service

A kitchen fire in Scarborough was most likely caused by a pet dog accidentally switching on a cooking appliance, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has said.

Emergency services were called by neighbours who had heard an activated smoke alarm shortly after 18:00 GMT on Wednesday.

According to the fire service, no one was inside the property except for a dog and a cat, which were both rescued unharmed before the blaze was extinguished.

A spokesperson said the fire had been confined to the cooker and was believed to have been caused when the dog jumped up and turned the hob on, igniting items that had been left on top.

Last week, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service warned people of the fire risk posed by pets and urged owners to "pet proof" their homes as part of a safety campaign.

Watch manager Craig Lyons said about 10 blazes in North Yorkshire had involved pets in the past year, including those caused by animals accidentally switching on cooking appliances or mice chewing through electrical wires.

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