RUNCORN Fire brigade are urging people to take basic safety precautions after a fire severely damaged a house on Monday.

It started in the fridge-freezer around 3.30pm, and caught on around the kitchen of the house in Meadway.

The kitchen was ruined and there was extensive smoke damage to the rest of the property. Nobody was injured.

Spokesman Neil Brooks said there were no smoke alarms in the house.

"We recommend that people purchase and instal a smoke alarm, as it can give an early warning and save lives."

He blamed the smoke damage on the fact that internal doors had been left open.

Closed doors help stop fires spreading, he said.

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