Could this have started a fire?

[loveyouradvice]

I've just been woken by the smell of burning - pot on gas ring boiled dry and burnt. Probably been left there for 3 or 4 hours.

Could this have started a fire if I hadn't woken?

And if so, how does that happen?

I'm so aware it could have been left there for 12 hours before we found it.

Well you didn't leave it 12 hours, and you won't again, so don't worry yourself over something that is never going to happen. Sleep tight

You should have a smoke/heat detector in the kitchen.

Ds recently left a pan on an electric cooker, it boiled dry and filled the kitchen with smoke, but I don't think it would have started a fire. Had there been more oil in it though, could have been different. (See chip pan fires...)

Yes it could. Pan burns dry as its too hot, heat spot occurs which carries on burning and endsup bright red burning hole in pan catching fire. Or something like that I think.

With a gas ring once pan too hot and melts it could easily catch alight and when pan melts burn other things too.

thank you..... and we do have a super-sensitive smoke alarm, so I'm feeling easier... it would have gone off if it had got any worse.