A KITCHEN caught fire in Salisbury last night after a small electric rice cooker was left unattended. 

Fire crews from Salisbury and Fordingbridge were called to a house in Bowes Lyon Court, Bemerton Heath at 6.29pm last night. 

When they arrived firefighters found thick black smoke coming from the property.

A full search of the ground floor flat was conducted and a fire extinguished in the kitchen using four sets of breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet and one main line

Group Manager Katie Cornhill, who attended the incident, said: “Firefighters did a good job of extinguishing this fire quickly.

"We believe the cause of the fire to be a small electric rice cooker that was placed on the hob of an electric cooker that was inadvertently left on. In the run up to Christmas, this is a timely reminder to be extremely careful when cooking and to ensure all cooking is turned off if left unattended.

"The working smoke alarms within the property alerted the neighbours to the fire. This shows the importance of not only installing, but maintaining the smoke alarms within your property by testing them weekly and replacing them when they come to the end of their life.”

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) attended the property involved in the fire within the last year for a Safe and Well visit.

A Safe and Well visit is a free service offered by DWFRS.

They visit you in your home, at a convenient time to see what can be done to make you safer. 

They will also fit free smoke alarms where required and offer advice to make you and your family safer and healthier in your home. T