My vacuum cleaner almost killed me and my daughter when it caught fire
A mother has been left shocked after her vacuum cleaner exploded in her garage.
Denise Graovac said the fire caused thousands of pounds of damage to her home in Surrey.
3
3
3
Denise’s 24-year-old daughter Sophie, who has autism, was home alone earlier this month when she heard an “explosion”.
She rushed to the garage where she heard the explosion came from to see what was happening – and found there were “flames and smoke everywhere”.
Sophie immediately called 999 and the local fire brigade arrived, but not before the fire caused catastrophic damage.
Denise, who is retired, claims that firefighters informed her that the rechargeable lithium battery in her handheld vacuum had probably exploded.
READ MORE REAL LIFE STORIES
The mother-of-three, 66, said: “It’s just so incredibly scary. People need to know that they have ticking time bombs in their home.
“I’ve had this vacuum cleaner for years and my daughter had used it earlier that day.
“There were no signs that anything was wrong with it.”
However, after the explosion the family was left with thousands of pounds in damage as household appliances were caught in the flames.
She added: “But now our garage has been completely destroyed. It contains our washing machine, our dryer – my husband’s computer equipment.
‘Last week we were without heating and water, just when it got really cold. And the soot damage has gone through the entire house.
‘The garage is an internal garage, so the fire could have spread to where we live.
‘If we had slept? We could have lost our lives. We could have lost the whole house.
“So it could have been worse. Fortunately we are all okay and the fire was under control.”
Denise and her family have lived in their home for 30 years, so she says she would have been devastated if she lost it.
Lithium battery burns
Check Fire UK has revealed how lithium-ion batteries can catch fire and how you can prevent it from happening to you.
These batteries can be prone to damage and damage can be caused in various ways such as overheating, crushing, failure, penetration, damaged devices, short circuit, but the main cause of damage is overcharging.
The damage can cause the cells in the battery to overheat and when temperatures reach 60°C, large amounts of toxic and flammable gases are released and the cells enter an uncontrollable, self-heating condition known as thermal runaway.
The flammable gases burst the battery cell and cause it to ignite.
To prevent lithium batteries from overheating and catching fire Check Fire UK has offered preventive measures.
Choose quality products
When purchasing devices or batteries, choose renowned brands and suppliers. High-quality products are more likely to meet safety standards and undergo rigorous testing, reducing the chance of failure.
Avoid overcharging
Many modern devices have built-in safety features to prevent overcharging, but it is still essential that devices are unplugged once they are fully charged. Do not charge your device overnight or leave it plugged in for long periods of time.
Keep an eye on the temperature
Extreme heat or cold can lead to battery failure. To prevent overheating, do not expose your devices to direct sunlight or leave them in hot cars during the summer. Likewise, using your device in extremely low temperatures can shorten battery life and potentially cause problems.
Prevent physical damage
Protecting your appliances from physical damage is another important aspect of fire prevention. Avoid dropping, puncturing, or crushing devices with lithium-ion batteries. A frequently asked question is: ‘Can lithium-ion batteries leak’? In a nutshell: yes – even minor damage to the battery case can lead to leakage or fire.
Regular inspections
Perform routine inspections of your appliances to check for signs of wear and tear. Look for swollen batteries, cracks or other abnormalities as these can all pose dangers. If you notice any problems, consult the manufacturer or a professional technician for advice on replacement or repair.
Battery storage
Proper storage is essential to prevent fires in lithium-ion batteries. When storing spare batteries or devices, store them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Make sure they are stored in a way that prevents physical damage or short circuits.
Now she’s tasked with finding an emergency plumber and electrician to get things working again, and talking to the insurance company about all the damage that’s been caused.
“I have no idea how long it will take to fix everything,” Denise said.
“But there’s thousands of pounds worth of damage. We’ve just had a new garage door. There’s all this computer stuff…
“It’s not just the fire that causes damage. It is the smoke, soot and water damage resulting from extinguishing the fire.
“You hear all the time these days about these batteries exploding. It’s worrying. People need to know they can’t trust these things.”
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service was contacted by SWNS for comment.
