(Image source: Irish Mirror/Steven Mangan)
A Dublin family have warned others to be extra careful after their story went viral showing how their house got completely gutted from a fire that started from a phone charged being left on a bed.
A fire which started from a mobile phone that was left charging on a bed has resulted in a fire that “completely gutted” a family home in Darndale, north Dublin last week.
According to the Irish Mirror, the Mangan family had only recently refurbished their house but have now had to leave it with no idea of when they will be able to return.
Steven Mangan spoke to Dublin Live about the incident, saying how devastated the family are about what’s happened. He explained that the fire started in the bedroom of his daughter Saoirse and the 11-year-old lost most of her belongings as a result.
He also said that the ceiling collapsed after they doused it with water to stop the fire from spreading, and things could have been a lot worse if they didn’t have good fire doors in the house and the doors were closed.
The family don’t know when or if they will be able to return to their home and Mr. Mangan said that they are “in limbo” right now as they don’t have insurance on it and it now needs to be rewired. He pleaded with people to be very careful about appliances being left plugged in at home and particularly overnight, saying:
“Never leave anything plugged in overnight. Especially not a phone, especially not in a bedroom. We actually thought it was a curling wand or a GHD that set the fire off first. We only found out today that it was a mobile.”
A fundraiser has been set up to help the family.
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