Firefighters have warned people to move toasters away from kitchen cupboards when using them following a fire at a Wythenshawe flat.

The fire was sparked by a defective toaster and  spread to cupboards above.  It was beginning to take hold of the kitchen when a smoke detector raised the alarm.

Two crews from Wythenshawe Fire Station were called to Foxlair Road at 12.27am on Saturday, October 25.

A man had put something in the toaster and fell asleep. The toast didn’t spring back up because of a fault which caused the fire.

Crew Manager Ian Medcalf said: “We tell people to pull their toasters out from underneath any kitchen cupboards and this incident demonstrated why that’s so important.

“We believe the fire was caused by a fault in the toaster which didn’t allow it to pop back up occasionally.  The man had put something in toaster and fallen asleep so it incinerated itself and spread to the cupboards above.

“There was heavy smoke-logging in the kitchen and damage to the cabinets and work surfaces but the man had a working smoke alarm that woke him up.
He got out of the flat and called us so he did all the right things.”

Crew in breathing apparatus used a hose reel to extinguish the fire and a positive pressure fan to clear the smoke. 
The man – whose age is unknown – was treated by firefighters at the scene after breathing in some smoke but he didn’t require further treatment.

For a free Home Safety Check, which could include the fitting of smoke alarms, call 0800 555 815 or visit