Dog starts house fire after accidentally turning on microwave

A dog in the United Kingdom inadvertently started a kitchen fire when it somehow managed to turn on a microwave in its owner’s home.

The husky who was home alone at the time of the incident turned on the microwave, which was positioned off the floor on the kitchen counter, which then ignited a bag of bread rolls that were being stored in the microwave at the time.

“Clearly, this is a very strange incident involving the man’s dog, but it could have been more serious,” said Geoff Wheal, Watch Manager at Corringham Fire Station in Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex.

The dog’s owner was not in the two-story home at the time of the incident but realized that smoke was filling the kitchen when he checked a camera feed on his phone that he had set up in the home.

“When we arrived, the kitchen was filled with smoke,” said Wheal in a statement. “Firefighters ensured that the damage did not spread beyond the kitchen area -- but it demonstrates that microwaves shouldn’t be used to store food when they aren’t in use.”

The Essex County Fire & Rescue Service used this bizarre incident to serve as a reminder to the public about safety hazards in the home.

“Our advice is to always keep your microwave clean and free of clutter or food and any packaging. Animals or children can turn them on more easily than you might think -- so please don’t run the risk,” they said in a statement.

The husky, who remains unnamed, was not harmed in the incident.