Pet kittens are suspected of sparking a fire that burned down a young family’s home.
Fire investigators believe the cats, Jesse and Dora, may have walked across a touch-sensitive hob in the kitchen – turning it on.
The cats’ owners – Reina and Andrew Ainscough – were visiting relatives for New Year with their young twins when the blaze broke out.
The fire ripped through their home and a neighbouring property in Newton Road, Lowton, near Leigh, causing £250,000 of damage. The kittens died.
Mr Ainscough, 28, who runs a staffing agency with his wife, said: "It’s just such a freak incident. They can’t be sure what caused it yet but it is possible it could have been the cats."
The Ainscoughs are currently staying with relatives while the damage is assessed by insurers.
Their twin son and daughter, Kian and Darcy, had been due to start nursery at Bridgewater School in Worsley, Salford, this week but their uniforms and clothes were destroyed.
Reina, 27, said: "It was so lucky that no one was in the house at the time. It could have happened at any time and I’m glad we weren’t in."
The fire quickly spread to the house next door, which was also unoccupied.
The owners were in the process of selling the house and had moved out just two days before the incident.
Firefighters stayed on the scene for around 12 hours.
Fire investigators said the cause was still to be determined but confirmed they were looking at the possibility one of the kittens had jumped on to the cooker and activated the hob.
Watch manager Steve Patterson, from Leigh fire station, said: "Damage to both houses is extensive. I would think that the whole building will have to be torn down."
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Awful event to happen, would really be interested to see what amount of pressure is needed to activate a hob of this kind. I thought these types of hob though didn't engage full power unless there was something on the hob.
Is it not possible the hob may have accidentally been left on and the kittens are wrongly being blamed? Over the Christmas and New Year people are rushing to get things done and it just might be put down to forgetfulness.
I have no pets, yet I ALWAYS switch off my touch sensitive hob at the Main Switch after use.
Too easy to accidentally switch on.
There must have been something on the hob to catch fire, a tea towel ?
What a horrible thing to happen to 2 little cuties like that! I do have 3 kittens at home myself and am wondering how they could jump up to something like a hob? Especially at a really young age like they look in the picture. Mine can climb up some things, but will not be able to jump up that high till about 5 months old.
Never heard of a touch sensitive hob - but wont be buying one in the future if this kind of thing can happen.
My condolences to Jesse and Dora
Right, so just turning a hob on does what exactly?
'The owners were in the process of selling the house and had moved out just two days before the incident.'
So why were the kittens still in the house?
Or they were playing with matches, or they had come home drunk & put the chip pan on. Cats are buggers for doing that.
I think it was the people next door who had moved out two weeks before wasn't it? Not sure how young kittens could jump up to hob height but they do need such a lot of care and supervision at that age so I am not sure I would have left them alone for long myself. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though. Very sad for them and for the family concerned.
I'm a family friend of Reina Ainscough and the pictutre of the kittens is very missleading as they were not that small. They were at least 9 months old and almost fully grown cats (im not surewhy this picture was used?). The kittens were bought as a present to their 2 and half year old twins and they were a very loved part of their family. The hob was switched off and needed to be unlocked to switch it on. Blaming the kittens is complete speculation and at this time noone really knows how it started.
Poor kittens. Shame the owners didnt mention them.
Maybe a cat burglar did it.
I live a couple of minutes away from this horrible mess, have a local business nearby and drive past daily but after being closed throughout chrstmas have only just seen this burnt out shell. Period houses on that road are highly sort after and in my eyes totally irreplaceable...they must being going through enough without all your dreadful sly comments....whatever happened happened and no one was carried out to be buried down the road...I have a touch sensitive hob which needs unlocking and various buttons pressed before it kicks into action...speculation!! wonder if all the people who have commented nasty things would be doing so if it was their home or a member of their families...all the very best Mr and Mrs Ainscough and your babies....you are very lucky people and I wish you all the best x
People who read this paper need to get a life. Andy and Reina AInscough are my bosses and very quickly have also become my friends. They have 2 amazing young children who the kittens where bought for. The cats where a part of the family. Why comment on something that you know nothing about. We will probably never know what caused the fire so get a life people and lets hope the people who have left inappropriate comments on here that it doesn't happen to you and people judge you with out knowing the FACTS!!!!!!