A COOKER was damaged by fire after a cardboard box was left on a hob that had accidentally been left on.
Two crews from Peterlee Fire Station were called to a kitchen fire in Milbank Terrace, in Station Town.
Fire chiefs say a box was left on top of the oven and the occupant had gone out without realising the electric hob was on.
Although the fire was out before the crews arrived, damage was caused to the cooker.
A station spokesman said the woman was moving house that day and the smoke alarm had activated, alerting someone else in the property.
The incident happened around 9.40am on Tuesday and firefighters spent 15 minutes checking over the house.