FIREFIGHTERS were called after a kitchen tray was left on top of a lit hob.

Fire officers from Colchester attended Berkley Close in Highwoods when the blaze started just after 3.30pm on Monday.

The hob had been ignited accidentally and a plastic tray began to melt and produced lots of smoke.

The fire crews extinguished the fire quickly and confirmed the blaze had started accidentally.

The kitchen and oven were damaged but firefighters managed to stop smoke spreading to the rest of the house.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service offer these top tips when cooking:

 • Avoid leaving cooking unattended and never leave children in the kitchen alone.

 • If you have to leave the kitchen to answer the door or send a text, turn off the cooker.

 • Never leave children alone whilst cooking – what’s more important, your text or your child?

 • Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – they can easily catch fire.

 • Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.

 • Check toasters are clean and placed away from curtains and kitchen rolls.

 • Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order. A build up of fat and grease can ignite a fire.

 • Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily. If the oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool. Ideally cook oven chips but if you are deep fat frying then use a thermostat controlled electric deep fat fryer - they can’t overheat.

 • Never try to cook after a night out drinking. It is far better to grab a kebab on the way home than to attempt to cook while intoxicated.