I went out shopping with the children this afternoon and came back to discover the kitchen on fire.

I believe what happened is that my new pup jumped up on the gas cooker and managed to light it. This set alight the laundry basket of clothes awaiting attention next to the hob carefully put out of said pups reach.

Luckily I arrived back before any of my animals were hurt although they were obviously distressed at being shut in a burning room.  I was worried about smoke inhalation as the smoke was so thick you couldn't see a thing, so everyone has been checked by a vet and all clears issued.

Thankfully the fire damage is limited to one side of the room but the smoke damage is awful and affects the whole house.

We have a large kitchen and I have put the dogs in there when we go out for the last 16 years and it just never occurred to me that something like this could happen. We have been so lucky it could have been so much worse and If he had not some how managed to light the cooker as well as turn it on we could easily had an explosion.

Anyone with a gas cooker please check that it can't accidentally be turned on by your dogs.

oh dear,thats awful,poor you.
I hope you can sort out the damage without to much expense.
So glad your dogs were ok I hope they are not too traumatised by their ordeal
Hope things work out ok
Philly

How scary for you! That happened to a friend of mines cooker,her dog switched the gas on but it didn't light so just as dangerous.She now takes all the knobs off her cooker and puts them back on when she uses it.If you couldn't do that you could always get one of those cooker baby guards.

Thank goodness nobody was hurt but what a shock for you.  An important warning for how easily something like this could happen.

Hope you've calmed down a little now and the damage isn't too costly or far reaching :(

best wishes, Teri

how scary for you, glad to hear that everyone is ok, take care,

Glad to hear that everyone is ok and at least you still have a house and everyone is ok, there has been alot worse to some people.

This is one reason we don't put the dogs in the kitchin, too many cubbords etc to get into and worksurfaces to "surf"

On the Other hand had we of had dogs in the kitchin and not the hallway, then the dogs wouldn't have got out front one day and one of them never making it back across a busy road...  Just makes you think, is anywhere safe for a dog to be left.

((((hugs)))) to all of you.  I hope the damage is easily sorted without too much expense!

Thanks all

The damage is quite extensive but superficial everywhere except the kitchen, the whole house stinks and is an interesting colour, but I'm just pleased we are all safe.
The children have all gone to grandparents for the night and hubby has gone to get some takeaway so I plan to try and relax tonight ready for the big clean up which begins tommorow. The kitchen needs gutting which wouldn't be so bad except we have only just fitted new units and had infact not even quite finished the decorating.

The cause of all the trouble is currently curled at my feet after his bath and looks as if butter wouldn't melt. He seems completely unaware of the trouble he has cause or that the fire officer has logged him officially as the cause of the fire. In fact he seemed to think that the firemen were there purely for his entertainment :)

my lucy turned the gas on when we first got her i was only out for 5 mins so when we got a new cooker i got one with a glass lid that you have to lift when you cook and this shuts off the gas when its down that way if any of the dogs do jump up and manage to turn a nob the gas is not turned on much safer.

All electric so switched off at socket at all times when not in use.
BC years ago manged to turn hob on no damage thankfully.

Glad you are all ok. It is amazing how many cobwebs appear after a fire is it not?

So sorry to hear this....what a terrible thing and thank heavens everyone is safe and the damage was limited to 'things'.

Karen

> is amazing how many cobwebs appear after a fire is it not?

This made me smile. :)
The first thing the fire officer said to me once the place was safe was how impressed he was I only had one cobweb in the kitchen.
Perhaps I should leave it for halloween it's a wonderful thing, it looks as if it's been spun from black thread. :-o

oh my god! very glad everyones alright. you must be so upset, big {{{hugs}}}

We had a  kitchen house fire when I was a small child. I was not at home thankfully.
My parents were so worried about me going home but all I can remember was these beautiful cobwebs. I was amazed and apparently lifted my parents no end.

I love walking and seeing cob webs is frost, rain and even some sun light, they are the most beautiful creation. I am always photographing them.

I think you should leave yours for halloween. Glad I was able to make you smile too

How terrifying!! I hope everything works out ok and i am so releived your dogs are ok, i was reading that thinking, please be ok,please be ok, and they were! Phew!! Sorry to hear about the damage, i hope it isnt too expensive getting it all fixed, just so glad for you that it wasnt worse than it could of been
xx

How awful, but very very lucky.  Glad the woofers are all well and hope you get back to normal soon.  Perhaps a new kitchen for Christmas - every cloud has a silver lining. 

We had a  kitchen house fire when I was a small child. I was not at home thankfully.
My parents were so worried about me going home but all I can remember was these beautiful cobwebs. I was amazed and apparently lifted my parents no end.

I love walking and seeing cob webs is frost, rain and even some sun light, they are the most beautiful creation. I am always photographing them.

I think you should leave yours for halloween. Glad I was able to make you smile too

Aww Bilbo what a lovely post :)

Im just glad no one wa shurt and the dogs neither, must be devasting but the main thing is no one was hurt :)
Big hugs for you and yours (((Hug)))
xxxx

Soo glad that everyone was ok.

When i was younger my father put the grill on to cook some fish fingers in the middle of the night. He went to his woodworking shed and fell asleep.
We were quite rudely, but gladly woken by the smoke alarm. Typically i recall trying to find the animals to get them out as i was so worried about them, rather than me and the rest of my family.. Lol.. A pattern seems to be emerging here.

We had a lovely black kitchen for months leading up to Xmas, it took a lot of hard work, but they got the insurance money and redid the whole kitchen again.
It is amazing just how much damage smoke alone causes.

Wishing you and your family well and that i do hope that getting your kitchen sorted won;t cause you too much trouble.

We have just had the loss adjusters and the cleaning company out and they have advised us not to to stay in the house until it has been cleaned. The smell is still extreamly strong and it has given my husband and I a cough.

The children are taken care of, staying with friends but I have yet to workout where Hubby, myself, and the animals are going.

I think tomorrow as much as I don't want to I may have to look at putting my pup into Kennels for a few days.  :-(

Do you not have any friends or family the dogs can stay with, even if they are separated for a short time?

Unfortunately I don't, my mum would normal help out but she is unwell and really couldn't cope.
My sister is willing to have people stay but wont have animals (she has a thing about possible germs and contamination.)
We have decided to stay here tonight and sort something out in the morning.

Would your house insurance pay for you to stay in travelodge type hotels where you can take animals till its all cleaned?

> Would your house insurance pay for you to stay in travelodge type hotels where you can take animals till its all cleaned?

Yes they have said that they will but most hotels say only 2 pets.  I am going to have to hunt around today and see what I can find.