Mum and daughter ‘lose everything’ in house fire sparked by toy car’s e-battery

Molly Austin and her daughter Aria managed to escape the flat just in time (Picture: Molly Austin)

A mum and daughter ‘lost everything’ including their two cats after a toy car with an e-battery burst into flames while charging, burning down their home.

Molly Austin has been forced to start from scratch after the toy Fiat 500 which she left to charge before using it for the first time exploded in her living room two weeks ago.

The 21-year-old had left the mini electric car, which was gifted by a friend to her daughter Aria, two, unattended for just 20 minutes before her smoke alarms went off.

She told Metro: ‘I had just gotten into bed when the alarm went off. I was walking around the flat trying to find what was the problem, but then I saw the toy up in flames about four feet high.’

Unable to put the fire out on her own Molly raced to get her Aria who was asleep and rush out of the house in New Milton, Hampshire.

‘As I was leaving, I heard an explosion which I now realise were the windows of my windows smashing from the heat,’ she told Metro.

‘I handed my baby to my neighbour but I was desperate to go back for my cats, Snodge and Shelly. They are my babies too.’

Despite one of Molly’s neighbours trying to enter the flat to save the cats, firefighters found them deceased, curled up under her bed.

Molly’s two cats, Shelly and Snodge, sadly died in the fire (Picture: Molly Austin)

A view from outside the flat (Picture: Molly Austin)

Molly said: ‘I spent so long just staring at my front door, hoping to see someone carrying my cats to safety.

‘Eventually one of the firefighters told me they hadn’t made it, and I couldn’t stop sobbing.

‘They wrapped them in a towel for me to go see them and say goodbye, but after seeing them I collapsed onto my knees I was so devastated I had lost them.’

It took around two hours for the fire to be put out, which left the flat completely destroyed.

The mother and daughter had lost everything, including sentimental newborn items, childhood toys and even presents for Aria’s third birthday next month.

Molly and Aria are now living in temporary accommodation (Picture: Molly Austin)

The fire started as the toy charged in the living room (Picture: Molly Austin)

Aria’s bedroom blackened by the fire (Picture: Molly Austin)

They are now living in temporary council accommodation until they can either raise enough for private housing, or another place is offered to them.

Molly is now urging parents to not buy electric toy cars for their children, or to stay with them while they are charging.

She said: ‘We have had the car for a few months but Sunday was the first time Aria had wanted to go on it.

‘I left it to charge up, and it took just 20 minutes for it to go up in flames.

‘We have contacted the company and they have stopped all sales, but it is too risky owning any type.

‘I have lost everything and have to completely rebuild now, others can avoid this.’

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