by JENNY MONROE

A LITTLE girl's quick thinking has helped prevent a microwave which went on fire from taking hold.

Four-year-old Evie McGale and her brother Tom, aged 2, were in the kitchen of their Berkley Hall home when Tom decided to put his toy car in the microwave. The microwave went on fire and Evie immediately ran upstairs to tell her mother Alyson.

Alyson explained: "Evie was shouting that we needed to call 999 immediately. I ran downstairs to the kitchen

and managed to switch the microwave off. Luckily the flames went out.

"My youngest son had managed to reach the microwave and put his toy car inside it and then pushed the start button. He didn't understand and was enjoying the fireworks.

"If Evie had not have alerted me the kitchen could have gone on fire."

Just a few days before the incident Evie and her classmates at Barbour Nursery in Hillhall had enjoyed a visit from the Fire Brigade who

visited the children to tell them about fire safety. Alyson, who also has a 5year-old son Oliver added: "Evie picked up on whatever the Fire Brigade told her. We are all very proud of her." Tracey Cassells Principal of the nursery said: "We are all very proud of Evie. She really took onboard the fir. safety message that the fire officers had told her and it just shows the importance of getting the message across to children at a young age."

jenny.monroe@jpress.co.uk

Ulster Star
28/11/2008