A TIMELY late-night check on a property in Teignmouth ended with the family visitor ringing 999 after discovering the kitchen on fire.

Two fire crews hurried to Grenville Avenue just after 10.30pm yesterday to extinguish a small blaze on a ceramic hob.

Firefighters conceded afterwards that matters could have been much worse if the family member had not turned up at the right time.

Station Manager Ian Radford said: ‘Potentially, the fire could have died out without any problems - but it could also have spread to the cupboards.’

Two sets of breathing gear were worn as the fire team used a hosereel jet to knock out the flames.

A positive pressure ventilation fan was used to clear the property of smoke while a thermal imaging camera checked the fire was properly out.

It emerged that the possible cause may have been workmen who had earlier been at the property.

It’s thought a ceramic hob may have accidentally been knocked ‘on’ with some work items left on the cooker.