Fire and Emergency NZ is urging people to "keep looking while you're cooking" after one of two kitchen fires in Whanganui on Sunday destroyed a Puriri St home.
Firefighters were called to the Gonville property at 6.51pm after unattended cooking in the kitchen of the house started the fire.
"The kitchen and living room were well involved," Station officer Shane Dudley said.
No one was home at the time.
"The message from this one is to keep looking while you're cooking."