Mum loses 'everything' after 'dodgy' air fryer explodes and causes devastating house fire

A young mum is lucky to escape with her and her 15-month-old baby's lives after her 'dodgy' air fryer exploded.

On Friday (24 January), Angel Carpenter received a phone call from a neighbour at around 11.00am to tell her that her house was on fire, and she rushed back to discover her home in ruin.

"They said your house is on fire," the 23-year-old, of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, explained. "I thought it was a joke."

The 23-year-old's home was devastated by the blaze and subsequent water damage (SWNS)

The dividing wall between her kitchen and living room had been devastated by the blaze, while the kitchen door was knocked down by desperate firefighters trying to tackle the raging flames.

The single mum, who was at work as an admin assistant at the time of the incident, lost all of her furniture and her toddler's baby clothes and toys in the fire.

Angel was told by attending Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock firefighters the fire could have been caused by an electric fault which led the air fryer and two areoles to explode.

"I didn't expect this. I always double check everything is turned off," she shared.

"They said it was something to do with a plug socket, or it could have been a dodgy air fryer - that much had melted they couldn't tell what it was."

While Angel explained how she 'lost everything' to the blaze, it could have been a lot worse if she and her daughter Frankie were present in the kitchen at the time of the explosion.

Angel Carpenter and her 15-month-old baby Frankie have been forced to move into Angel's mum's home (SWNS)

She added: "Everything I have worked for has gone into that house.

"It was such a shock; I cried for ten hours - it broke me. I have lost everything in that house."

Fortunately, the fire managed to burst the water pipes which helped extinguish the flames - although it in turn caused water damage, as well as fire damage, to her belongings.

However, Angel hadn't taken out home insurance meaning she won't receive any money to pay for replacements for her valuables.

She has now been forced to move back into her mum Emma Carpenter's home until hers can be fixed and refurbished.

"I should have taken out fire insurance or house insurance," Angel shared. "You don't think of it."

"It doesn't feel real. It feels like a dream."

Emma, who was looking after young Frankie at the time of the accident, is now hoping to raise £4,500 through a GoFundMe page to help refurnish her daughter's home.

Shropshire fire and rescue said: "At 11:17 on Friday, 24 January, 2025, SFRS Fire Control received a call reporting a fire classified as House Fire in Bridgnorth.

"Two fire appliances were mobilised from Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock. An Operations officer was in attendance.

"Fire crews used two hose reel jets, covering jet, ventilation fan and 4 breathing apparatus. Fire crews also isolated solar panels, gas and electricity."