Hungry dog sets fire to kitchen

A hungry dog looking for food set fire to his owner’s kitchen – causing £6,000 damage. The dog jumped up and nudged on a switch for a range oven. That heated up a chip pan on the griddle which eventually set fire to the kitchen. Owner Paul Gregson said: “We’re calling him Alfie the arsonist now.”

Fortunately Paul, his wife and their sons Charlie, 10, and Patrick, seven, escaped from their burning detached home in Llannerch Road, Llanfairfechan, after the blaze broke out at 12.04am yesterday. Alfie also escaped uninjured.

Describing what happened, he said: “The dog sleeps in a basket in the kitchen. He went on top of the cooker looking for something to eat. He kicked a switch and there happened to be a chip fryer on top, which went up. It’s probably caused £6,000 damage.”



The Gregsons were awoken by smoke detectors at midnight. Paul, 42, said: “At first we were disorientated. We thought ‘What the hell’s that noise?’ My wife then rang for the fire brigade and we went downstairs and got everyone out the door. The fire brigade were incredible. They got here in less than five minutes.”

Crews from nearby Llanfairfechan fire station and Conwy arrived and tackled the blaze.

Three-year-old Alfie is a liver-coloured, flat-coated retriever who Paul described as “very lively, bouncy and smelly”. He added: “The breed is a cross between a pointer and a red setter. They are slow to mature – if they mature at all. He exists to eat. He’s a walking stomach.”