FIRE extensively damaged the kitchen of a house at Riddlesden last night.

Firefighters were called out to the semi-detached property, in Grange Crescent, just before midnight.

They managed to contain the fire – which was caused by a fault in the cooker hood ­– to the kitchen area, but the whole house was smoke logged.

Crews from Keighley, Bingley and Silsden fire stations attended.

They wore breathing apparatus and used two hose reel jets to tackle the fire, and a special high-pressure fan was brought in to help clear the smoke.

Firefighters were at the scene for about two hours.

The occupants – a couple – had been woken by the sound of the fire, and safely got out of the property.

There were no working smoke alarms in the house.

Crew commander Adam Dykes, of Keighley fire station, said: "The occupants were lucky that the sound of the fire woke them.

"Had working smoke alarms been fitted, they would have been alerted much sooner.

"Smoke alarms give you vital extra minutes through detecting fires earlier, potentially saving lives and restricting the damage caused."