More animal arson

As we've mentioned here before, animals are frequently credited with saving their owners from fires, but it's less frequently noted that they also sometimes start them.

This week there was one case that it's hard to know how to score: the dog alerted the family before the fire spread, sure, but the fire itself was caused by sun reflected off the dog's own water bowl onto the wooden siding of the house.

But another recent case should be a lesson for dog owners about not leaving food unattended, because the result can be worse than just loss of your dinner:

A puppy who was tempted by Yorkshire puddings left on top of the cooker managed to start a house fire in Eastway, Eastfield.

The incident, at 7.45pm on Tuesday, started when the pup, who was home alone, jumped up to reach the tasty treats and switched the hob on.

A pan sitting on the hob, along with its contents, caught fire. The fire spread to the hob and part of the kitchen, causing approximately five square metres of fire damage. The house was also smoke damaged throughout.

A spokesman from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “The puppy was unharmed. It is not known if the puppy managed to eat any of the Yorkshire puddings.”