Dog rescued from house fire in Harborough

A pet dog was rescued by firefighters as a blaze tore through the kitchen of a house in Market Harborough late last night (Tuesday).

The fire at the home in Bath Street was sparked by a chip pan which caught fire on the hob, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said today.

The people living in the house escaped before calling 999 to raise the alarm at 11.13pm last night.

About 12 firefighters in three appliances from Market Harborough, Kibworth and Wigston raced to tackle the fire.

They rescued the family’s dog from the burning property but their pet cat is thought to be missing.

Crewmen used four special breathing apparatus kits and two hose reels to fight fierce flames in the smoke-choked kitchen.

They also deployed a specialist “positive pressure ventilation fan” to help clear thick smoke and fumes.

The incident caused about 20 per cent damage to the kitchen as well as wreaking smoke damage throughout the house.

Firefighters were at the scene until almost 1am today but the police and ambulance services are not thought to have attended.

The front door of the badly-damaged house has been boarded up and the shocked family were forced to leave and stay the night with nearby relatives.