A CREWE couple needed hospital treatment as a result of a fire in their home which was started by a charging e-cigarette.

Jennifer Brown, 35, and Scot Washington, 34, suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation after extinguishing the fire in an upstairs bedrooms at their home in Barthomley Crescent.

They are fully aware that the consequences of the fire on July 31 could have been far worse - their four children fled the property while they tackled the blaze.

Now they are urging others to never take any chances when it comes to charging e-cigs.

Jennifer said: "We were incredibly lucky. Scot and I felt dizzy after putting out the fire due to the amount of smoke we'd inhaled and we had to go to hospital to be checked over.

"We were discharged a few hours later and the only things that were damaged by the fire were the bedroom carpet, a pillow and a child's toy bag.

"Thankfully, the fire started shortly before 11am when we were all awake.

"I shudder to think what would have happened had the e-cigarette been put on charge at night when we were all asleep."

A popping noise in the unoccupied bedroom alerted the couple to the fire and when Scot opened the bedroom door, smoke flooded out of it.

This set off the smoke alarms in the house and the couple's four children evacuated, while Jennifer and Scot unplugged the charger and used nearby bottles of water to extinguish the fire.

The incident has left them both shaken and Jennifer added: "When something like that happens to you, it makes you realise the importance of following fire safety advice.

"Not doing so can put your home and your and your family's lives at risk."

The couple's four children, Claramae, Mia and Harley and Hayden were unhurt.

"We have always taught them to get straight out of the house if there is ever a fire and are really proud of them for doing so," said Jennifer.

"We are safety conscious as a family and when the e-cigarette and the battery we bought from a shop did not come with a plug we endeavoured to buy the right sort of plug for it from eBay.

"We knew that we needed a plug suitable for the voltage required to charge the e-cigarette.

"Yet despite us having quite good knowledge in this area, the e-cigarette caused a fire on only the third occasion it was charged. It had been charging for around 20 minutes before the fire started.

"We never thought for a minute that charging the e-cig would cause a fire in the house, but the important thing is that we are all okay.

"I fear that others may not be so lucky."

Nick Evans, Head of Prevention at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, added: "The family have been very lucky in this instance and it highlights the importance of only using a charger and plug that comes with an e-cigarette and never leaving e-cigs unattended while charging.

"The family did have working smoke alarms fitted, which is always encouraged, as is ensuring that they are tested regularly."

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service's safety advice for e-cigarette users is:

• Buy your e-cigarette from a reputable source
• Check that the e-cigarette carries CE certification
• Never buy an e-cigarette unless it has instructions on how to charge it safely
• Ensure that details of the manufacturer, including its contact details, are provided
• Only use a charger and plug that comes with an e-cigarette and follow the manufacturer's instructions
• Connections of other chargers may seem similar, or even identical, but the power rating may be different, which can cause a fire
• Do not mix components of different e-cigarettes
• Never charge a battery that has been damaged, dropped or struck
• Never leave e-cigarettes on charge unattended for long periods and do not overcharge
• Check your battery has overcharge or overheat protection
• Do not charge an e-cigarette if any of the components are wet
• Do not overtighten the atomiser when connecting it to the charger
• Make sure that you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home