A family has been left devastated after a beloved pet lost its life in a severe kitchen fire at an Ashford home on Tuesday afternoon, 23 June 2026.
Emergency services were called to reports of a fire at a bungalow in Bentley Road, Willesborough, just after 5:00pm. Four fire engines quickly arrived at the scene, where crews discovered a kitchen well alight. Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus bravely entered the smoke-filled property to tackle the flames using high-pressure hose reel jets and main jets. During their search of the bungalow, crews managed to locate and rescue two cats from the smoke.
Tragically, despite the best efforts of the emergency teams on site, one of the cats passed away. The second cat survived the ordeal. No human injuries were reported in the incident. Members of the fire service’s volunteer response team remained at the scene into the evening to provide emotional and practical support to the deeply affected residents. Following an initial investigation, emergency services believe the cause of the fire was entirely accidental.