Firefighters led occupants of a two-storey house in Pavillion Road, Folkestone, to safety after fire broke out shortly after midnight on Boxing Day.

Crews found the ground floor of a two-storey house alight and firefighters using breathing apparatus tackled the blaze using a hose reel jet.

The occupants were led to safety from the rear of the property, but one man, believed to be in his forties, was treated by South East Coast Ambulance Service for minor cuts and the effects of breathing in smoke.

A pet dog was rescued by the firefighters, but sadly the occupants' cat had died.

The ground floor was badly damaged by fire and smoke, and the rest of the property suffered from smoke damage.

The house in Pavillion Road after the Boxing Day fire Photo:Max Hess

The exact cause of the fire is being investigated by the Fire Investigation and Research Team, but is believed to be electrical in nature.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) reported that no smoke alarms were fitted at the premises and the fire was only discovered by a resident returning to the house after going outside for a cigarette.

Folkestone Watch Manager Mick Dennis said: "The nature of this incident highlights how important it is for every home to have smoke alarms fitted. If the residents had been able to raise the alarm sooner, the damage could have been contained.

"While nobody was injured apart from the sad loss of a family pet, what might have happened if the occupants had not been alerted does not bear thinking about. Just three breaths of toxic smoke from a fire can render you unconscious, and if you have children or older people in the house, they are even more at risk."

* KFRS advise the following safety tips to help to keep your home safe from fire:

- Fit a smoke alarm on every floor of your property, test it weekly and clean it monthly. If you do not have a smoke alarm, call our home safety advice team on 0800 923 7000 for assistance, or see more information about fire safety in the home.

- Never leave electrical appliances switched on or on standby overnight, unless they are designed to be used that way, and always follow manufacturers' instructions for use.

- Use one socket per plug if possible, or a good quality multi-gang extension lead conforming to British Standards.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©