Islanders are reminded to avoid cluttering their kitchen worktops after a shopping bag left on a hob caused a fire at a large residential block in St Helier.
Edinburgh House on Green Street was evacuated yesterday due to a kitchen fire in one of the flats.
The Fire and Rescue Service explained that the occupier of the flat and her two young children came home to a smoke-logged kitchen and a bag of shopping smouldering on the hob.
They all safely left the property and called emergency services at 12.38pm.
Four pumps and an aerial ladder platform – which is a vehicle is designed to disperse water onto buildings from above during incidents where it may be difficult to do so from the ground – responded, and the incident was quickly bought under control.
Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the flat to extinguish and remove the ignited items.
The entire block had to be evacuated, and the flat’s occupants were treated for smoke inhalation by paramedics on scene.
Following the incident, the Fire Service said: “We are reminding people to avoid cluttering up their kitchen worktops and not to use the hob as an extension of the work area.
“It is very easy, as in this case, to accidentally knock on the hob ring and accidentally set alight to items on or nearby the cooker.
“It is also important to have a working smoke alarm to provide early warning and give you plenty time to safely leave your home.”