A dog died saving his owner from a devastating house fire after an e-scooter burst into flames.
Kevin Record was sleeping in his flat when his dog, Shogun, jumped onto his bed in the early hours of Monday, April 17. Kevin woke to find sparks coming from his e-scooter before it exploded and spread to "everything in sight".
All of Kevin's belongings were destroyed in the fire and he sustained life-changing burns to the right side of his body as he tried to escape. Shogun was also killed in the fire which Kent Fire and Rescue Service believe was due to a fault occuring while the e-scooter was on charge.
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Kevin said: “I’m absolutely devastated by what’s happened, especially losing Shogun. He was everything to me and died saving my life.
“I can’t explain the speed of the fire. I had never seen anything like it. Within seconds, it was like a fireball that spread to everything in sight. It was like a grenade going off, just terrifying.”
Fire investigators believe the battery overheated and caught alight, before the fire ripped through the Sheerness High Street flat, in Kent. Kevin said he routinely checked his e-scooter was in good working order, as he was aware of the fire risk with lithium-ion battery powered devices.
He said: “I’m quite into technology and thought I had a good understanding of electronics, but this just shows a fire like this can happen to anyone. I was a real advocate of things like e-scooters and e-cigarettes, but I wouldn’t ever buy anything like that again after going through this.
“I would never want this to happen to anyone else, so I hope by sharing my experience, I can help other people to stay safe.”
KFRS has issued a warning over e-scooters urging owners to take extra caution when charging and storing them, as well as any other devices with lithium-ion batteries.
Crew Manager Steve Smart, who was one of the first firefighters at the scene, said: “Kevin absolutely had a lucky escape – if Shogun hadn’t of woken him up the outcome could have been very different.
“We’re grateful to Kevin for sharing his story, which we know can’t have been easy, but we hope it will help to raise awareness of the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and encourage people take extra care, and to use and store them safely to reduce the chance of a fire.
“If you have any items powered by lithium-ion batteries please remember to:
- Only purchase devices and parts from reputable suppliers
- Charge and store them safely in line with the manufacturer’s guidance
- Only charge them when you’re at home and awake, so you’ll know quickly if there’s a fire
- Always unplug them after use
- Store them well away from escape routes or sleeping areas
“Also, it’s essential to have a smoke alarm on each floor of your home and to test it weekly - it could save your life.”
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