A nine-year-old girl from Eastleigh's quick thinking prevented a fire from breaking out at home.
Shaylee Jenkins was at home one evening when she noticed a charging cable was glowing bright orange and smoking on March 15.
Alerting her dad, Terry, to the dangerous situation, they were able to call the fire service and evacuate safely.
A crew from Eastleigh arrived to make sure the property was clear of fire, before thanking Shaylee for her quick thinking, and then giving her a tour of their firefighting equipment.
READ MORE: Universal Credit change brings £420 boost to over a million households
Terry, Shaylee’s dad, is a jetting engineer, and his own father was a firefighter in Ensworth.
He said: “I’m so proud of Shaylee for spotting the danger and doing the right thing by telling me.
“The firefighters were amazing, making sure our home was safe, but also comforting and reassuring Shaylee following a scary incident for such a young child.
"She has got ADHD and autism, so for her to do that, it is super good and I am super proud. She is my super girl. It did really stop our house from catching fire.
Terry says the charger that almost caught fire was for external car lights, and added: "I won't be getting those again."
READ MORE: Eastleigh preschool torched by arsonist re-opens a month after blaze
Watch manager Graham Thomas, Eastleigh Fire Station, said: “This incident could have been far worse without Shaylee’s fast thinking.
“Shaylee’s instinct to immediately alert her dad, before informing the fire service and evacuating, helped prevent this incident from being far worse.
“We advise that when using electrical products, you use the charger which originally came with your device.
“Make sure that you know how to identify when your cable has become damaged, looking out for exposed wiring and scorch marks.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire and Rescue added: "We have seen faulty electrical items spark fires with devastating consequences across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
"Last year, at a home in New Milton, a toy car on charge caught alight, the owner and her daughter were able to escape the blaze, but their two pet cats sadly died."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated: 1st January 1970 12:00 am
Report this comment Cancel