In a home in Kent, a dog named Herbie accidentally triggered a serious kitchen fire by jumping onto the countertop and switching on the toaster, the BBC reported. Herbie escaped the blaze in Margate with the family's 12-year-old son, while firefighters had to rescue the family cat, Mush, who was found unconscious between two pillows. The cat was resuscitated with a pet oxygen mask.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service reported that they have responded to 28 kitchen fires caused by pets in the past three years. Suzanna Chisholm, area manager for customer safety, praised the young boy's quick actions, which she said likely saved his pets and minimized damage to their home.
She emphasized the importance of having functional smoke alarms and advised people to unplug appliances when not in use to prevent pets or children from accidentally turning them on. She also suggested closing kitchen doors when the room is unattended to keep pets from accessing switches or knobs.
The family expressed gratitude to the fire service and pride in their son's quick response on October 16, saying, "He reacted so quickly to the smoke alarms and knew to get out of the house, bringing Herbie with him. We didn't realize how easily pets could start fires this way and hope our experience raises awareness."
