Fire crews were called to a house in Port Erin yesterday afternoon when a tea towel placed too close to a hob caught fire.

A statement from station officer Mark Caley said: ’This afternoon at 12.40pm two appliances were called to a kitchen fire at

Magherdonnagh, Pony Fields, Port Erin.

’A tea towel placed too close to the hob caught fire, but luckily the occupant spotted this and evacuated the house and called for the fire service.

’Crews wearing breathing apparatus, quickly extinguished the flames with a hose reel, and crews then proceeded to ventilate the premises using a positive pressure fan, they remained in attendance for approximately one hour.’

The fire service highlighted the importance of having working smoke alarms in all homes!

In a separate incident, at the same time a fire crew was dispatched from Douglas to a fire on the railway embankment by the start of the Southern Hundred circuit.

However prompt action by the Railway’s staff meant that it was extinguished prior to the fire service arriving.