The 43-year-old, living in a ground-floor flat on Adelaide Road, Blacon, had left a chip pan unattended on his electric cooker as he went to the shops at about 9.30pm.

A fire broke out in the kitchen of the property after the chip pan caught light.

Neighbours across the road were alerted by the sound of the smoke alarm and the barking of the man's dog, who was in the front garden.

Firefighters from Chester Fire Station had fitted smoke alarms at 14 or 15 of properties on the same road earlier in the evening, including the man's flat.

Blue Watch firefighter Jim Payne said: "There were also a group of youths who became alerted to the fire and somebody ran to the shops to get the man to tell him about the fire."

The resident raced back to his flat, which is owned by Chester and District Housing Trust, and used a damp cloth over the chip pan and turned off the electric cooker.

Mr Payne said: "Under those circumstances, we would advise not to enter, but unfortunately his key instinct was to enter and he got away with it on this occasion.

"He did the right thing by putting a damp cloth on it and isolating the power."

Mr Payne added: "Had this chap been in the property when the fire occurred and without smoke alarms we can only say it could have a fatal. Smoke alarms do save lives."

The owner was not injured, despite suffering from some smoke inhalation.
Two pumps from Chester got the call at about 9.50pm and when they arrived they could see the pan was smouldering.

Mr Payne said: "We could hear sizzling and noise from the chip pan, which would indicate it was really hot, but there were no flames.

"The problem we have is when people think about moving the pan, which is probably when it's the most dangerous because it's hot and could reignite."

There was 100 per cent smoke damage and 30 per cent fire damage to the kitchen.

Smoke alarms can be fitted for free by firefighters and you call Chester Fire Station on 01244 342145 to arrange a fitting.