Mum's warning as fake iPhone charger burns her whole house down 'within minutes'
A mum has told how her family's home was "completely destroyed within minutes" due to a cheap iPhone charger catching fire.
Emma Flaherty, 55, from Worcester, first smelled smoke and found the bed on fire in her daughter Chloe's room before scrambling the 15-year-old and sister Lola, 12, out of the house.
Firefighters raced to the scene on last Sunday afternoon and spent an hour tackling the blaze which largely destroyed the three-bedroom property.
Emma said the fire was caused by an unbranded iPhone charger overheating and catching fire which engulfed the room in minutes.
She is now warning others about the dangers of "cheap" and unofficial mobile phone chargers.
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Emma managed to rescue her children from the fire (Emma Flaherty / SWNS)
A room devastated from the fire (Emma Flaherty / SWNS)She said: "It was an iPhone charger I either bought off Amazon or from a newsagent so it wasn't an official one. Chloe had put her iPhone 13 into charge while she had a nap."
Minutes later it just caught fire and she woke up with her room full of smoke and flames.
"I shouted to Chloe to get out the house while I grabbed Lola and carried her outside," said Emma.
"We called 999 and my neighbours tried to put the flames out with a hose but the fire was just too big.
"It's still so surreal in my head. I just had to get my kids out, one who was in the fire asleep and the other who is disabled. My head is all over the place at the moment.
Emma said the house was "destroyed in minutes" (Emma Flaherty / SWNS)
The fire was caused by a cheap phone charger (Emma Flaherty / SWNS)"A place we built up as our safe place, memories made, laughter shared - completely destroyed within minutes due to a charger lead. 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.
"I will never in my life allow unbranded chargers into my home. We are so very lucky. Please keep doors closed, turn sockets off when not in use, and check your fire alarms. Doesn't stop fires by all means but it confines it to a minimum and saves lives."
Three Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from the Worcester Station were called to the scene.
Emma did not have contents insurance (Emma Flaherty / SWNS)Two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames while Emma, Chloe and Lola, who has mitochondrial complex I deficiency, were treated by paramedics.
Unfortunately, Emma did not have contents insurance so will not receive compensation for her lost belongings.
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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.
Emma added said: "I am forever grateful for everyone's generosity, the community of Worcester have been unbelievable."Everything life has thrown at us all. we realise no matter how much we do things alone, we aren't alone."
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