A hamster died when its cage caught fire after being left on top of an electric cooker in Stockport this morning.
Crews from Stockport and Whitehill fire stations were called to the kitchen blaze at a flat in Heaton Norris at 9.30am, after neighbours raised the alarm.
The flat is so badly damaged the family will have to move out of their home.
The fire started after the father took his two-year-old daughter and five-year-old son on the school run from the Chestnut Villas flat.
Watch Manager Steve Bullock, from Stockport Fire Station, said: “We didn’t know if anyone was inside so we broke through the door with a door ram.”
The flat was filled with black smoke, so firefighters faced difficult conditions when extinguishing the fire, but they managed to stop the fire damaging any other properties.
The whole flat is smoke damaged, but the fire damage is confined to the kitchen.
Councillor David Acton, Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “It’s devastating that this family will have to move out of their home – even if it is only temporary – and have lost a beloved pet in this fire.”
Representatives from Stockport Homes were at the scene within an hour of the fire to organise alternative accommodation for the family.
Fire crews have already visited 25 neighbouring properties offering Home Safety Checks and fire safety advice, and will continue doing so in the area for the next two days.
Councillor Acton added: “This fire highlights the importance of ensuring that items are not stored on the cooker that either do not belong there or could pose a fire hazard if it were accidentally switched on.”
Picture courtesy of dgtecnozero, with thanks.
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