A mother and yoga instructor is warning others not to charge laptops on beds after a fire gutted her home in North Bendigo. Kate Robinson's house and yoga studio were destroyed by fire on May 30, when she left for about an hour to run errands.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by a lithium battery inside an 18-month-old Apple Mac Pro laptop that was charging on her bed. Ms Robinson recalled that the laptop had been losing charge more often, which can indicate a faulty battery.
Fire Rescue Victoria commander Craig Houlahan attended the blaze and said it was clear the fire started from the bed due to the laptop battery. He urged people to charge devices on hard surfaces to allow cooling, and to avoid charging overnight or in bedrooms.
Commander Houlahan noted that across Victoria, there is at least one call to fire authorities each day related to charging devices. He emphasized the importance of working smoke alarms, as a house fire can spread throughout a home within three minutes.
Ms Robinson is now living in a rental property provided by her insurer. She expressed gratitude for saving her dog and for community support, but remains distressed by the loss of her home and studio.
