Hard-working Aussie couple lose their home and beloved cat after popular device found in millions of households sparked a horror house fire
A hardworking Australian couple have lost their beloved cat and their home after an iPad caught fire while it was charging, causing a fire.
The raging fire has prompted a fire chief to once again warn that appliances should not be left plugged in when no one is home.
The young family is repeating that message after the Apple charger and iPad destroyed their home and killed their cat.
The fire broke out at around 1pm on Thursday at the couple’s home in Jarrahdale, about 45km southwest of Perth.
Jarrod and Java King, their three-year-old daughter, and their dogs were not physically injured, but their cat was killed.
The house was destroyed when the iPad, which was charging in their bedroom, caught fire.
“It can happen so quickly, it’s quite scary,” Mr King said. 9News.
The fire destroyed the bed and the house.
Perth couple Jarrod and Java lost their home after a charging iPad caused a horrific house fire (the couple are pictured with the damaged Apple device)
The couple had charged the iPad (pictured) with an Apple cable in their bedroom
“It all seemed to happen very quickly, within half an hour everything was gone,” he said.
‘You think it’s very normal, but it can cause so much damage.’
They say they only bought the new device about a year ago and were using the Apple charger that came in the box.
Their daughter’s toys were destroyed.
Western Australian Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Mark Hayes said he charged his phone by the kitchen sink, so there was always a water source nearby in case the phone overheated and caught fire.
“Know what you’re charging and turn it off before you leave the house,” he said.
‘Don’t leave anything charging when you’re not at home.’
Their daughter’s toys were destroyed in the fire at their Jarrahdale home (pictured)
Millions of devices in Australia contain lithium-ion batteries, including rechargeable vapes, laptops, phones and tablets, games consoles, e-scooters and camping equipment.
“All battery types carry risks, but failure of a Li-ion battery can be particularly catastrophic due to the flammable and volatile liquid electrolyte solution within a Li-ion battery,” a 2023 ACCC report said.
There is no single consolidated national database of lithium-ion related fires because each state has its own fire department.
However, in 2023, more than 200 fires involving lithium-ion batteries occurred in New South Wales.
If you use a charger not made by the device manufacturer and overcharge the device, the risk of fire increases significantly.