Fire chiefs have warned about the dangers of not using disposal barbecues properly following a blaze in March on Friday evening.

At around 5.30pm two crews from March were called to a fire on Mallard Way in March.

Firefighters arrived to find a fire affecting two houses. They extinguished the fire using hose reels and returned to their station by 7.50pm.

A fire service spokesman said: “The fire was caused by a disposable barbeque being placed on top of a bin that was not fully extinguished.

“Please ensure that when you have finished cooking that the barbeque is cool before you move it and never dispose of the ash in a dustbin.

“With disposable barbeques in particular, consider leaving them to cool once they have burned out and pour water on to ensure they are fully extinguished.”

It is the latest in a series of warnings by fire chiefs in Cambridgeshire following such fires.

Previously they warned that disposable barbecues can burn for up to eight hours after they have been used “therefore you should never simply leave them unattended or put them in or near a bin.

“The best thing to do once you are finished with them is fill them up with water and leave it to cool. Once it is cool to the touch, you can then empty the water and responsibly dispose of the barbecue.”