LONDON (August 6, 2012)—Firefighters in Britain say they were able to save an apartment from destruction after its domestically challenged resident tried to dry his wet socks and underwear in a microwave oven.

The Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters rescued the man from the apartment and extinguished the kitchen fire Monday, but not before the microwave and the two pairs of underwear and socks inside of it went up in smoke.

The apartment in Weymouth on England's southwest coast sustained smoke damage.

"The fire safety message here is to never put clothing of any kind in the microwave or an oven to attempt to dry them," Dorset firefighters said in a statement.