WARNING: Graphic images
A young man is fighting for life after he was injured in a robotic vacuum explosion.
The freak accident happened inside the kitchen of his home in Brabham, northeast of Perth, on Thursday afternoon.
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WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man critically injured after robotic vacuum explodes
Lachie Perrem, 25, was severely injured and rushed to the burns unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
He is currently sedated after undergoing multiple operations, and his loved ones have not yet been able to speak to him.
Perrem has burns to about 75 per cent of his body.
Investigators confirmed to 7NEWS that a fault in a robotic vacuum likely caused the accident.
Video from Perrem’s home, which he shares with his fiancée and other housemates, shows windows blown out and walls blackened.
The damage spread from the kitchen to the living room.
Lachie Perrem was critically injured when a robotic vacuum exploded, leaving the walls blackened. Credit: 7NEWS
Perrem’s fiancee Bri Thompson described recent days as “completely unimaginable”.
“Our entire life has changed in a matter of moments and everything has been incredibly intense and overwhelming,” she said.
“Lachie has an incredibly long road ahead of him, and right now all we want is for him to keep fighting.”
Building and energy inspectors are now looking at the product believed to be responsible.
Firefighters say blazes ignited by vacuums are rare, with three in the past two years.
Life ‘turned upside down’ for anxious family
Perrem’s mother is in Queensland and is making plans to travel to Perth on Tuesday to be by her son’s side.
“Our family has been turned upside down after my beloved son was critically injured in a tragic explosion at his home,” Fiona Perrem said.
“While our focus is on helping him survive and heal, life outside the hospital doesn’t stop.
“We want to ease as much of that burden as possible so that, when he wakes and begins his recovery, he can focus entirely on getting better.”
An online fundraiser has been set up to help during his recovery, with Perrem expected to remain in hospital for at least two months.
