PERTH — Lachie Perrem, 25, sustained life-threatening burns in an explosion at his Perth home on Thursday, July 2. Investigators determined the fire was an accident caused by a fault in a robotic vacuum cleaner.

Perrem remained in critical condition on Tuesday evening, July 8, and was receiving treatment at Fiona Stanley Hospital for burns. One other woman required hospital treatment following the incident. The explosion destroyed Perrem's share house in the suburb of Brabham.

A triple-zero call was made at 5 p.m. on July 2, according to the Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Four fire trucks responded to the scene, and the blaze, which ignited in the kitchen, was fully extinguished more than two hours after the emergency call.

Fiona Perrem, Lachie Perrem's mother, stated on a GoFundMe page that her son suffered burns across approximately 75% of his body and was sedated. "He is facing an incredibly long road ahead, with multiple surgeries, extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and months of recovery," she said. The GoFundMe campaign, launched on Saturday to cover recovery and living expenses, surpassed $26,000 by Tuesday evening.

Bri Thompson, Perrem's fiancée, described the impact of the event. "Our entire life has changed in a matter of moments," Thompson said. She also noted Perrem's character, stating, "Lachie is genuinely the most giving person there is." Thompson added, "Anyone who knows him knows he would give absolutely anything to help someone else. He is always the first to put his hand up, the first to help and would never expect anything in return."

Perrem, a trained telecommunications technician, will pause his social media project, The Tradie Vault, during his recovery. He had used the page to promote mental health awareness through work site visits and tool giveaways. The Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services sent the malfunctioning robotic vacuum cleaner to the state's building and energy office for further investigation. It was not immediately clear whether the fire resulted from a fault in the vacuum's electrics or its lithium-ion battery. This incident marks the first reported case of a robotic vacuum cleaner fire, though the department has recorded four fires involving standard vacuum cleaners in the past two years.