European Gardening: Do you have an Aga?, 1 by Southmede

Southmede wrote:
I know that this isn't a gardening question but when we bought this house we got an ancient solid fuel Aga. Yesterday we nearly blew ourselves up. We had new pipework in the chimney installed so we know that was ok. Bought some solid fuel from the local coal merchant and he assured us it was suitable. Lit the Aga and for a while the heat from it was lovely heated up the kitchen beautifully. I thought that I would try it out for cooking. I lifted the top lid and the metal was red, what a fright I got, thinking that it was way too hot I opened the oven doors to get rid of some of the heat and opened the bottom part and riddled out the glowing fuel. I think that it must have been the wrong sort of fuel. I'm now frightened to use it. I will get a specialist out to give me some advice but just wondered whether anyone has any knowledge to help me out.