DARTFORD firefighters are reminding people to cook safely following a flat fire.

The crew was called at 3.31pm on Thursday (March 8) to a blaze in a kitchen, in Dunlop Close, after a neighbour heard the smoke alarm and dialled 999.

The homeowner had left the second floor flat while a pan was cooking on top of the hob, which then caught alight.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus had to break the door down to gain entry to the property.

They quickly extinguished the small fire before it had the opportunity to spread further and isolated the electric supply to the cooker.

They then cleared the flat of smoke using a positive pressure ventilation fan.

Dartford watch manager, Bob Chilmaid, said: "Cooking is one of the major causes of fires in the home and even the smallest fire can cause destruction to your home.

"Never leave cooking unattended – if you have to leave the room, turn the heat off."

He added: "Once again, this fire serves as a reminder that the single most important piece of safety equipment in any home is a working smoke alarm."