A dad-of-two owes his life to sounding smoke detectors, after a devastating kitchen fire broke out at his home just a week before Christmas.  

Jack Burley was woken up by fire alarms at around 6.55am on Sunday (17 December) and discovered his house in Gloucester Road, Gravesend, had started to fill with thick smoke. 

Thankfully, the flames were contained to the kitchen, as Jack had closed his internal doors, which can help to delay the spread of smoke and fire. 

Now, the 53-year-old is urging everyone to make sure they have working smoke alarms on each level of their home, and to close internal doors before going out or going to bed. 

“When I saw the black smoke, it was so toxic that it took my breath away,” Jack said. “I made my way downstairs to the living room, which was filled with even more smoke and when I opened the door to the kitchen, it was completely engulfed in flames. 

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been told to close doors to stop a fire from spreading, so I managed to shut the kitchen door to contain it to just the one room and get out of the house to call 999.” 

Two fire engines arrived and crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze using hose reel jets. 

Jack, who was the only person at home at the time of the incident, was passed into the care of SECAmb paramedics as a precaution after inhaling smoke. 

It’s believed the blaze, which completely destroyed the kitchen and caused smoke damage to the rest of the house, started accidentally due to an electrical fault within a fridge freezer. 

Jack added: “The smoke alarms undoubtably saved my life, so I would say to anyone – make sure you’ve got smoke alarms and check them regularly. 

“The house is just bricks and water and things can be replaced but I got out alive and that’s all that matters.” 

Dave Harris, Group Manager at Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said: “Fires can start at any time, but you can help to keep you and your loved ones safe by testing your smoke alarms regularly, and closing internal doors before you go out or got to sleep. 

“A closed standard internal door can hold smoke and flames back for between 10 and 30 minutes, and by being fire safe, Jack helped to save his own life and stop the flames from spreading throughout his home.”