A family was left homeless and two cats and a dog were killed in a dishwasher fire in Saffron Walden.

Firefighters were called to Ozier Court at 3.01pm on Monday, April 24.

On arrival, crews reported that the house was heavily smoke logged. They went into the house wearing breathing apparatus and found a fire in the kitchen.

The crews extinguished the fire - which they believe was caused by an electrical fault with a dishwasher - by 3.49pm.

A family of four has been left homeless due to smoke and fire damage throughout the property.

Despite the best efforts of firefighters giving oxygen therapy, sadly two cats and a dog died at the scene.

Watch manager Paul Curtis, from Saffron Walden Fire Station, said: "Electrical faults in appliances are surprisingly common and they can cause fires.

"So our top advice would be to make sure you’re home and awake when things like dishwashers and washing machines are running.

"We’d also urge everybody to make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home to alert you to a fire.

"Test your smoke alarms at least once a month to make sure you and your family get an early warning sign to a fire in your home.

"We’d also like to highlight the importance of keeping your doors closed if you can. Closing doors can prevent lots of smoke spreading throughout the house and by closing doors, you can help prevent fires spreading."