Three years of planning for a dream vacation to Japan ended in heartbreak for the Devlin family, who landed back in Las Vegas to find their home gutted by fire, their belongings ruined and two of their dogs dead.
While the family was overseas, their house sitters called with the kind of message no one wants when they are halfway around the world: the house was on fire. By the time the Devlins made it home, family photos, keepsakes and daily essentials were destroyed, and two of their dogs, Loki and Juno, had been recovered dead from the charred house. A third dog, Pele, is still unaccounted for. The family expects to be displaced for roughly a year while crews strip the interior and replace electrical and plumbing throughout the home.
Charles Devlin, a local school counselor, told News 3, “When our guests arrived, there were flames shooting out through this window.” He explained that the sitters, visitors from Italy who were staying at the house, had been out running errands when a battery pack they used to charge their phones apparently ignited and the fire spread through the living areas. Devlin said the family is paying for the sitters’ lodging while the Italian consulate assists them, and that the house will be fully gutted for new electrical and plumbing work.
Battery Packs, Recalls and a Known Hazard
Investigators’ preliminary indication that a recalled battery pack may have started the blaze comes amid a steady drumbeat of power bank recalls and warnings about lithium ion chargers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has ordered recalls of portable chargers, including a 65W Baseus model, after reports of overheating and fire, according to the CPSC.
National outlets have been tracking the trend, too. CBS News has noted nearly 100 battery fire occurrences in 2025, many involving power banks and vaping devices. It is a reminder that the little bricks we casually toss into backpacks and plug in overnight can carry very real risk when something goes wrong.
Insurance, Pets and the Family’s Recovery
Devlin told News 3 that his insurer is covering household items and temporary housing, but not the loss of the family’s pets. To help bridge the gap and deal with other uncovered expenses, the family has set up a GoFundMe. They say that any money left over after rebuilding their lives will be donated to the Animal Foundation, which has stepped in to assist them after the fire.
Consumer guides point out that standard homeowners policies typically cover property damage and liability, not the death or injury of a pet. That kind of loss is usually addressed, if at all, through separate pet insurance or out of pocket costs. Experts recommend that owners read the fine print on their policies and consider additional liability or pet coverage so they are not blindsided after a disaster.
Legal Questions and What Homeowners Can Do
Local trial attorneys say manufacturers, sellers or distributors could face liability if a defective product turns out to have caused a fire, while the person occupying the home or using the device might also bear responsibility, depending on the specific facts and the wording of the insurance policy. General guidance from Christiansen Trial Lawyers notes that product liability and negligence theories can come into play when a device fails catastrophically.
Lawyers and safety experts recommend a few practical steps for anyone leaving town. Unplug nonessential electronics, remove recalled or questionable devices from service rather than letting them sit on a charger and leave clear written instructions if pets or the home itself are in someone else’s care. For the Devlins, the advice is now painfully real. Their immediate focus is on repairs, on grieving Loki and Juno and on hoping that Pele is found so a family that left for vacation can feel whole again in a home that will never look quite the same.
