My home was destroyed by an everyday appliance — don't let the same tragedy happen to you
Tanya Bennett's life was literally left in ruins after she received a shocking call on June 9.
'I was at work and the neighbour called to say my house was on fire and she'd called the fire brigade,' Bennett told NeedToKnow.
The 36-year-old had cleaned her home in Telford, England, the night prior to the fire, and unknowingly left a vacuum cleaner plugged in overnight.
4 Experts estimate the damage will cost thousands.
Jam Press
4 Every room in the home except the kitchen was impacted by the fire.
Jam Press
'I couldn't believe it when the firefighters said it was caused by the vacuum cleaner.'
After receiving the call from her eagle-eyed neighbor, Bennett raced home, concerned about her three dogs — French bulldogs Lewi, Monkey, and Cockapoo Luna. When she arrived, she found her house completely engulfed in flame and was distressed to learn that only one dog, who had been shut in the kitchen, had been recovered at that point.
4 The three dogs were rescued by firefighters.
Jam Press
Bennett explained that the door to the kitchen had been shut, blocking the spread of the fire, and leaving it the only room in the house that wasn't damaged by flame, smoke, or soot.
'The other two dogs were trapped upstairs by the smoke,' Bennett recalled. 'It was heartbreaking. I was screaming and crying, and they brought the dogs out one by one.'
'I'm absolutely devastated, helpless and in shock,' she said.
After the fire was put out, Bennett entered the house to assess the damage.
4 Bennett said the destruction may take weeks to repair.
Jam Press
'All the furniture is covered in soot, the TV cabinet is melted, and all of my drawers of clothes are covered in soot. Basically, every single item in my house is covered by smoke. There's not one single item that is not. I need to replace everything, and it will cost thousands,' she said.
'The whole house needs specialist cleaning, and I can't go in without PPE.'
While the Telford home is being repaired, cleaned, and inspected for safety, Bennett has been left homeless and is currently residing in a temporary accommodation.
The three dogs, all alive and safe after the incident, have been left in the care of a friend in the meantime.
'I didn't think that a vacuum cleaner could even catch fire. How much damage it's caused is crazy. Apparently, the dust particles inside are very combustible,' Bennett reflected.
'Just turn everything off at the wall or unplug appliances,' she advised.
'Even though the electrics tripped and cut off, it didn't matter as the fire still continued once it had sparked.'
While experts at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) advise unplugging motor-reliant appliances to avoid overheating and electrical fires, the agency also warns that battery-powered vacuums, which are becoming increasingly more common in American households, and appliances are often at risk of sudden ignition.
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