Woman and dog escape house fire

A young woman and her dog had to evacuate their residence in Paphos after a fire broke out in the living room just after midnight.

According to local media, a young woman was resting on the sofa with her pet near an electric infrared heater on Monday night at a private residence in Armou village, Paphos district. The woman, who fell asleep, later woke up to a fire in the living room and evacuated the residence along with her dog, with reports saying nobody was harmed during the incident.

The Fire Department was notified just after midnight and two fire trucks rushed to the residence where the fire was extinguished half an hour later. The fire and smoke caused extensive damages to furniture and surrounding walls, while home appliances were also affected by the blaze.

A preliminary investigation suggested the fire started due to heat from radiation, according to the Cyprus News Agency.

Unlike conventional heaters, infrared space heaters do not heat the air in the room but emit rays that are absorbed by other items, which can increase the temperature of the unit’s surroundings.