"Kittens made me set fire to my house!" (From Thisisdorset)
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Laundry basket left on cooker sparks house blaze
11:00am Monday 8th October 2012 in Latest
"Kittens made me set fire to my house!"
A RESIDENT accidentally started a fire after putting a laundry basket on a cooker to stop her kittens climbing into the clean clothes.
Victoria Hopkin did not realise the hob was still on and the blaze devastated part of her kitchen.
She escaped unhurt along with five-month-old kittens Jasper and Maisie and is now warning people about smoke detectors. The 47-year-old heard the alarm at her West Cliff house in Bournemouth at around 1pm on Friday.
“I looked and I could see orange flashes from the kitchen,” said the Burnaby Road resident.
She tried to carry the laundry basket outside but it was dripping molten plastic. She threw a fire blanket over the basket but the air was getting in at the edges.
“When the glass bottles next to the oven started exploding, I thought: ‘Time to go,’” she said.
Victoria got help from workmen at a nearby house and told them: ‘I have set my house on fire.’ The workmen battled acrid black smoke that was below head height and managed to put it out.
Fire crews from Westbourne and Springbourne arrived and checked the scene and carried out tests. Victoria, who was working from home, had accidentally left the hob on after cooking soup for lunch.
She was alerted by a smoke alarm in the hall, which firefighters installed after a blaze at a neighbour’s house.
The laundry basket and clothes were destroyed and the kitchen suffered smoke and fire damage to the walls and cupboards.
Victoria was left without gas and electricity – but was mainly relieved the blaze had not been worse.
She said: “My main concern afterwards was finding my animals.
“I thought Maisie had run off but she was in the basement.
“I spent more time looking for her than phoning the insurance people or anything like that.”
Comments(20)
Humf
says...
12:12pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Apart from story content, I like the new style of photo - cats and a startled look from the owner ! Makes a change from staged, concerned-looks and folder arms. Keep up the good work, Echo photographer.
outlawselfinterest
says...
12:31pm Mon 8 Oct 12
"My kitten made me" is translated as "I am an irresponsible idiot who puts people and animals in danger and wastes an awful lot of time that would be better spent".
Just think what much more important things these fire crews could be doing!
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
12:44pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
12:46pm Mon 8 Oct 12
homerjsimpson1979
says...
1:10pm Mon 8 Oct 12
lock her up!!
mattblackthehat
says...
1:31pm Mon 8 Oct 12
outlawselfinterest wrote:How wonderful it must be for you to go through life never having made a mistake. Good for you, keep up the good work
Here's a new entry for the dictionary.
"My kitten made me" is translated as "I am an irresponsible idiot who puts people and animals in danger and wastes an awful lot of time that would be better spent".
Just think what much more important things these fire crews could be doing!
l'anglais
says...
1:40pm Mon 8 Oct 12
painter#1
says...
2:10pm Mon 8 Oct 12
surbiton74
says...
4:34pm Mon 8 Oct 12
outlawselfinterest wrote:Errr, like putting other fires out???
Here's a new entry for the dictionary.
"My kitten made me" is translated as "I am an irresponsible idiot who puts people and animals in danger and wastes an awful lot of time that would be better spent".
Just think what much more important things these fire crews could be doing!
surbiton74
says...
4:36pm Mon 8 Oct 12
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
4:56pm Mon 8 Oct 12
surbiton74 wrote:I'm with you on that one....result!
Well on the bright side, at least there's no ironing left to do.......
Telscombe Cliffy
says...
5:02pm Mon 8 Oct 12
outlawselfinterest
says...
5:30pm Mon 8 Oct 12
mattblackthehat wrote:Putting a laundry basket on a hot stove AND NOT REALISING IT UNTIL IT BURSTS INTO FLAME is not "a mistake" but gross stupidity that makes me doubt whether children can be left with her.
outlawselfinterest wrote: Here's a new entry for the dictionary. "My kitten made me" is translated as "I am an irresponsible idiot who puts people and animals in danger and wastes an awful lot of time that would be better spent". Just think what much more important things these fire crews could be doing!How wonderful it must be for you to go through life never having made a mistake. Good for you, keep up the good work
pete woodley
says...
6:02pm Mon 8 Oct 12
outlawselfinterest wrote:Well the painters think she is great ?.
mattblackthehat wrote:Putting a laundry basket on a hot stove AND NOT REALISING IT UNTIL IT BURSTS INTO FLAME is not "a mistake" but gross stupidity that makes me doubt whether children can be left with her.
outlawselfinterest wrote: Here's a new entry for the dictionary. "My kitten made me" is translated as "I am an irresponsible idiot who puts people and animals in danger and wastes an awful lot of time that would be better spent". Just think what much more important things these fire crews could be doing!How wonderful it must be for you to go through life never having made a mistake. Good for you, keep up the good work
ILOVEBOURNEMOUTH
says...
11:34pm Mon 8 Oct 12
WickedWillow1
says...
12:18am Tue 9 Oct 12
Phixer
says...
6:11am Tue 9 Oct 12
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
12:31pm Tue 9 Oct 12
painter#1 wrote:Funny that, people are always nice (when you're putting their housefire out)...............
I would like to say as one of the workmen that put out the fire that it was an honour and a privelege to have been able to come to the aid of such a lovely genuine person. And I know Tommo, Pete and myself wish you all the very best for the future.
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
12:33pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Couchy125 says...
11:12am Mon 8 Oct 12