A dog died after saving its owners life when an e-scooter caught fire and set light to his home. Kevin Record was asleep when his dog, Shogun, jumped onto his bed in the early hours.
The 43-year-old woke to find sparks coming from his e-scooter, which exploded and sent flames tearing through the flat. Kevin managed to escape with life-changing burns to the right side of his body.
But the hero dog died in the fire, reports KentLive. Kevin said: “I’m absolutely devastated by what’s happened, especially losing Shogun. He was everything to me and died saving my life. I can’t explain the speed of the fire. I had never seen anything like it. Within seconds, it was like a fireball that spread to everything in sight. It was like a grenade going off, just terrifying.”
Four fire engines were sent to the flat just after 1.35am.
His e-scooter exploded with flames rapidly spreading (Image: KFRS)
Kevin said: “I’m quite into technology and thought I had a good understanding of electronics, but this just shows a fire like this can happen to anyone. I was a real advocate of things like e-scooters and e-cigarettes, but I wouldn’t ever buy anything like that again after going through this.
“I would never want this to happen to anyone else, so I hope by sharing my experience, I can help other people to stay safe.”
Kevin's flat has been destroyed (Image: KFRS)
Kent Fire and Rescue Service Crew Manager Steve Smart said: “Kevin absolutely had a lucky escape – if Shogun hadn’t have woken him up the outcome could have been very different.
“We’re grateful to Kevin for sharing his story, which we know can’t have been easy, but we hope it will help to raise awareness of the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and encourage people take extra care, and to use and store them safely to reduce the chance of a fire .
Four fire engines were sent to the property where crews tackled the fire (Image: KFRS)
“If you have any items powered by lithium-ion batteries please remember to only purchase devices and parts from reputable suppliers, charge and store them safely in line with the manufacturer’s guidance, only charge them when you’re at home and awake, so you’ll know quickly if there’s a fire, always unplug them after use, store them well away from escape routes or sleeping areas.
“Also, it’s essential to have a smoke alarm on each floor of your home and to test it weekly - it could save your life.”
