A young girl was taken to hospital after a kitchen fire last night.

London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service were called to Hathaway Road, off London Road, at 11.50pm last night to reports of a kitchen fire.

A four-year old girl was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene and then was taken to hospital for further treatment.

An LAS spokesman said they took a four-year-old to Croydon University Hospital. She did not suffer any ill effects and she was not taken as a priority.

Firefighter Tom Atkins, on Croydon’s bluewatch, said the fire was caused by a chip pan fire and was made worse when the four-year-old and her mother tried to put it out unsuccessfully.

He added that they also did not have a working fire alarm and said injuries could have been more serious if the fire had happened this evening when the LFB are on strike.

He said: “It is important that people make sure they have a working fire alarm in their house. Check the batteries regularly if you have got one so you can have good warning if a fire starts.”