A FIRE started in a kitchen after a tea towel was left on a hob, firefighters have said.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service were called to a home in Blackbird Leys yesterday after the blaze broke out at about 1.20pm.

The fire is beleived to have started when a tea towel caught fire after it had been left on a cooking hob, which had been left on.

The flames then spread to the washing machine and kitchen cupboards, before the homeowner heard the smoke alarm sound and quickly evacuated the two-storey terrace in Merlin Road.

Two fire engines from the Slade and City of Oxford fire stations attended the incident and were faced with black smoke billowing from the kitchen.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly entered the house and extinguished the blaze before using a large fan to clear the remaining smoke. 

The woman was treated for smoke inhalation by South Central Ambulance Service.

Incident Commander, Crew Manager Jason Clifford said: "I would urge the public not to leave combustible materials on hot surfaces and to switch cooking appliances off when not in use.

"Fortunately, on this occasion the occupier had working smoke alarms on each floor, which alerted all persons concerned to the fire and allowed plenty of time for emergency evacuation procedures to be put into place."