A blaze gutted the kitchen of a 16th century house on Christmas Eve, leaving two people homeless.
The fire, in Wormingford Road, Fordham, took hold while Philip Brown, 55, was watching television in the house.
Mr Brown was there visiting his father, Gordon, 86, for Christmas, but his dad, who is a churchwarden in Wormingford, was out at the time.
Mr Brown, who used to be a chef, said: "I'd made myself some chips, but I'm sure I turned the fryer off."
While he was watching A Christmas Carol he smelled something and went to investigate.
"The kitchen had all caught fire and the flames were up in the roof," he said.
"I got a hose on it, but it was already too late by that stage.
"It was very scary I've never been in a fire before.
"The fire brigade was great. They were here in minutes."
Fire station officer Russell Cottis was on the scene just before 9.30pm.
He said "By the time we got there the fire had gone through the roof."
More in today's Evening Gazette
Published Tuesday, December 28, 2004
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