Mum's horror after cheap iPhone charger from Amazon bursts into flames and guts her family home
A mum has told of her horror after her home was gutted by a fire sparked by a cheap iPhone charger.<br /><br />Emma Flaherty, 55, was at home when she could smell smoke coming from upstairs.<br /><br />She ran into her daughter Chloe’s bedroom and watched in horror as the bed and pillow were on fire.<br /><br />The single-mum scrambled to get 15-year-old Chloe and her youngest daughter Lola, 12, out of the house in Warndon, Worcs.<br /><br />Firefighters raced to the scene on Sunday (25/6) afternoon and spent an hour tackling the blaze which largely destroyed the three-bedroom property.<br /><br />Emma said the fire was caused by an unbranded iPhone charger overheating and catching fire which engulfed the room in minutes.<br /><br />She is now warning others about the dangers of “cheap” and unofficial mobile phone chargers. <br /><br />She said: “It was an iPhone charger I either bought off Amazon or from a newsagent so it wasn’t an official one.<br /><br />“Chloe had put her iPhone 13 into charge while she had a nap. <br /><br />"Minutes later it just caught fire and she woke up with her room full of smoke and flames.<br /><br />"I shouted to Chloe to get out the house while I grabbed Lola and carried her outside. <br /><br />"We called 999 and my neighbours tried to put the flames out with a hose but the fire was just too big.<br /><br />“It’s still so surreal in my head.<br /><br />“I just had to get my kids out, one who was in the fire asleep and the other who is disabled.<br /><br />“My head is all over the place at the moment.<br /><br />“A place we built up as our safe place, memories made, laughter shared - completely destroyed within minutes due to a charger lead.<br /><br />"Most of the upstairs of the house is ruined by fire or smoke damage and everything else just melted in the fire. It's devastating.<br /><br />“I will never in my life allow unbranded chargers into my home.<br /><br />“We are so very lucky.<br /><br />“Please keep doors closed, turn sockets off when not in use, and check your fire alarms.<br /><br />"Doesn’t stop fires by all means but it confines it to a minimum and saves lives.”<br /><br />Three Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from the Worcester Station were called to the scene.<br /><br />Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames while Emma, Chloe and Lola, who has mitochondrial complex I deficiency, were treated by paramedics.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Emma did not have contents insurance so will not receive compensation for her lost belongings.<br /><br />A GoFundMe appeal which was launched to help the family get back on their feet has raised over £1,000 while a delivery company has volunteered to store any donations for them.<br /><br />Emma added said: “I am forever grateful for everyone’s generosity, the community of Worcester have been unbelievable.<br /><br />“Everything life has thrown at us all. we realise no matter how much we do things alone, we aren’t alone.”
