Two dogs have been rescued from a house after a pan caught fire in the kitchen.

Crews were called to Walnut Close, Basildon, after reports of smoke coming from the ground floor of a terrace house. 

On arrival, at about 7pm last night, firefighters reported that the kitchen was 100 per cent smoke logged and two dogs were inside. 

Firefighters quickly released the dogs and extinguished the fire, which was caused by a pan which had been left on the hob. 

Watch Manager Adam Barber, Basildon Fire Station, said: "The owner of the house had left the pan on the hob and gone out. 

"Thankfully the internal doors in the house were closed at the time, which slowed down the spread of smoke and gave more time for the fire to be reported and the dogs to be rescued.

"If we had not been called when we were this could have been a very different outcome for the dogs.

"Three quarters of accidental house fires start in the kitchen and it is vital that cooking is never left unattended."

The fire was extinguished by 7.25pm.

Cooking safety advice

Take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk.

Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob.  Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe.

Make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked off the stove.

Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire.

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

Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking.

Not got a smoke alarm fitted?

We want every home in Essex to be provided with the excellent protection that smoke alarms offer. As in this case, smoke alarms can alert you to a fire and give you a chance to escape your home safely.

To arrange your FREE fitting, call 0300 303 0088 or visit essex-fire.gov.uk/book