A man is fighting for his life after a robotic vacuum cleaner allegedly exploded, sparking a house fire that left him with burns covering 75% of his body. Lachie Perrem, 25, suffered devastating injuries in the blaze that destroyed his home in Brabham, Western Australia, on Thursday, July 2.
Emergency Response and Injuries
Emergency services rushed to the property following reports of a fire. Paramedics transported Perrem to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, where he remains in the burns ward under sedation. He has already undergone multiple operations as medics work to save his life.
His fiancée, Bri Thompson, described the ordeal as "completely unimaginable." "Our entire life has changed in a matter of moments and everything has been incredibly intense and overwhelming," she said, according to the Mirror. "Lachie has an incredibly long road ahead of him, and right now all we want is for him to keep fighting."
Family Support and Fundraiser
Perrem's mother, Fiona, lives on the opposite side of the country and is arranging to fly to Western Australia on Tuesday to be at her son's bedside. "Our family has been turned upside down after my beloved son was critically injured in a tragic explosion at his home," she told 7News. "While our focus is on helping him survive and heal, life outside the hospital doesn't stop. We want to ease as much of that burden as possible so that, when he wakes and begins his recovery, he can focus entirely on getting better."
A digital fundraiser has been launched to support Perrem during his rehabilitation, collecting nearly £11,400 so far.
Investigation into the Blaze
Footage from the scene shows charred and blackened walls in the kitchen and living room, where flames spread before firefighters contained the inferno. Building and energy inspectors are examining the device suspected of triggering the fire. Fire crews told news.com.au that the blaze was caused by an explosion "accidental due to a fault in a robotic vacuum cleaner." The device has been sent to the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (LGIRS) for further investigation, according to a Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson.
Perrem is expected to remain in hospital for at least two months.
