A 25-year-old Australian man is in critical condition after a suspected explosion involving a robot vacuum cleaner in his Perth home. The incident occurred Thursday afternoon in Brabham, a northeastern suburb of Perth.
Lachie Perrem suffered burns to approximately 75 percent of his body and was transported to Fiona Stanley Hospital. He has since been sedated and undergone multiple emergency surgeries, according to a report from 7News. His mother, Fiona Perrem, described the event as a "tragic explosion" that has "turned their lives upside down."
"He is facing an incredibly long road ahead, with multiple surgeries, extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and months of recovery," she stated. The fire caused significant damage to the home's kitchen and living room, rendering it uninhabitable. Mr. Perrem, his fiancée, and housemates are now displaced.
MPS. Perrem has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with living expenses, housing, and essential costs during this period. The fundraiser reportedly garnered over $17,000 in its first 48 hours.
Investigators are reportedly examining a fault in a robotic vacuum as the cause of the fire. The full extent of the damage and the precise cause are still under investigation. Fiona Perrem plans to travel from Queensland to be with her son in Perth.
