Fire chiefs believe a kitchen blaze in an Essex home was caused by an extractor fan fault.

The brigade was called to Howard Avenue, Dovercourt, around 9.25am today after a neighbour spotted smoke coming from the back of a property.

On arrival, crews found a small fire burning in the kitchen and the downstairs of the home filled with smoke.

The fire was extinguished by 9.45am.

Crews used a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear the property of smoke.

A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said: “The kitchen has suffered minor fire damage, while the rest of the ground floor has been affected by smoke damage.

“The fire is believed to have been caused by a fault within an extractor fan.”

Two fire crews from Dovercourt attended the incident.