A kitchen fire in Herne Bay this morning, 2 March 2023, is believed to have started after a plastic chopping board was left on top of an electric hob, which was accidentally switched on, and caused it to catch alight.
Two fire engines were sent to the flat in Braid Drive and crews wearing breathing apparatus used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.
Destroyed
The fire completely destroyed the kitchen and caused smoke damage to the rest of the property. One person was also checked over as a precaution after sustaining slight burns to their hands, and KFRS’ volunteer response team was also on-hand to offer advice to the affected residents.
Cooking tips
Following the incident, crews are reminding people to make sure cooking surfaces are kept clear of anything that could catch alight.
Firefighters attend around 200 accidental kitchen fires every year, which are commonly caused by items being left on or too close to the hob, such as tea towels, oven gloves, washing baskets and in this case, a chopping board.
To help reduce these types of incidents, KFRS has launched its ‘Hook it, Don’t Cook it’ campaign, which has one simple message – keep your hob clear to keep your family safe.