Cooker fire in Erith ‘caused by hungry beagle’

A dog caused havoc in an Erith flat today, as it managed to turn on a cooker, which led to the fire brigade being called.

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A beagle was left home alone in the flat in Alsike Road this morning while its owner went to work at a charity shop, when it felt a little peckish.

The dog ran rampant in the house eating kitchen roll and knocking over a vase, when it spotted a tin of Quality Street filled with dishwasher tablets placed on the cooker.

In an attempt to reach the tin, the dog jumped up and somehow knocked one of the knobs, leaving the cooker on a low heat according to a firefighter who attended the scene.

A neighbour with a key to the flat, went inside to investigate after smelling smoke.

Firefighters were called at 10.40am and two fire engines from Erith and Plumstead arrived at the flat where there was little damage apart from some smoke and minor damage to the top of the cooker.

The dog’s owner was said to be “shaken” by the event.