Dog dies saving owner from 'devastating' fire which destroyed flat caused
by e-scooter

Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 6:20pm

A man from Kent says he's been left devastated after his dog died whilst
saving his life from a huge fire which destroyed his home, caused by an
e-scooter.

Kevin Record, 43, suffered life-changing injuries when his e-scooter
exploded into flames in his flat in Sheerness on 17 April.

His dog Shogun jumped onto his bed in the early hours of the morning to
wake him up and alert him to the fire.

He found sparks coming from his e-scooter but within seconds it exploded,
with the fire rapidly spreading.

Panicked and disoriented, Kevin managed to escape the fire and smoke-filled
room, however, he sustained life-changing burns to the right side of his
body.

Kevin was heartbroken when he discovered his dog, Shogun, had sadly died in
the blaze.

He 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.”

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) was called just after 1.35am, but all
of Kevin’s belongings were destroyed.

Investigators believe a fault occurred while the e-scooter was on charge,
causing the battery pack to overheat and catch alight.

Kevin is now warning people of the risks when storing or charging
e-scooters, and any other devices with lithium-ion batteries.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Kevin said he routinely checked his
e-scooter was in good working order, as he was aware of the fire risk with
lithium-ion battery-powered devices.

He added: “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.”

KFRS Crew Manager Steve Smart, who was one of the first firefighters at the
scene, said: “Kevin absolutely had a lucky escape - if Shogun hadn’t 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 to take extra
care, and to use and store them safely to reduce the chance of a fire.

“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, and 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 and 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.”

[online report contains pictures related to the fire]

<https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-04-25/dog-dies-saving-owner-from-devastating-fire-caused-by-e-scooter>

--
Spike