A WARNING has been issued to households to install smoke alarms after a kitchen fire near Beaminster.
Dorset Fire and Rescue Service issued the warning after an elderly resident in Applefield Road, Drimpton, was woken by smoke alarms to find a saucepan blaze in his kitchen.
Crews were called to the property by South West Ambulance Service at around 11pm on Friday.
A spokesman for the fire service said: “The occupant called the ambulance service to report that he was suffering from smoke inhalation from a fire in his kitchen.
“It seems the elderly gentleman had put the pan on at approximately 9.30pm and fallen asleep.
“He was woken by his smoke alarms just before 11pm.
“Without the smoke alarm the incident could have had a far worse outcome.
“It just goes to show the good sense of having them installed in your property.”