A family had a lucky escape from a chip pan fire which claimed the life of their pet budgie.
There were no smoke alarms fitted in the property and the woman and two children were only alerted to the fire after hearing noises from downstairs and going to investigate.
They left the property before the Brigade arrived and were given a precautionary check by London Ambulance Service crews but were uninjured.
Two fire engines and 10 firefighters and officers were called to the fire at a terraced house in Monmouth Road, Edmonton.
Part of the kitchen was destroyed in the fire and the rest of the room was damaged by smoke and heat.
Crews found a budgie dead in its cage in the kitchen.
The Brigade’s fire investigators believe the cause of the fire was a chip pan left on the gas hob after earlier use. The occupant thought the gas had been turned off and left the pan unattended.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “You should be extremely careful when you’re deep frying food or you could be risking your home, your property or even your life.
“The fat in chip pans can easily catch fire and you should never leave a pan unattended, not even for a minute.
“In this case the occupant thought the gas had been turned off – so you should always double check when you’ve finished cooking.
“If a fire does break out, you should never try to tackle it yourself. Get out and dial 999.
“This fire also highlights the importance of having smoke alarms in your property.
“Homes need multiple smoke alarms. Fires can start in any room so smoke alarms should be fitted in your hallways and landings and in any rooms where you smoke, use candles, incense sticks or portable heaters and leave electrical equipment on or on charge – such as satellite boxes, heaters, computers or mobile phones.”