An attempt to charge a disposable vape sparked a fire at a house in rural Wiltshire.
Two fire crews, from Pewsey and Salisbury, were called to an address in Harefield Crescent, Netheravon, at around 6pm yesterday afternoon (7 March).
On arrival, firefighters found flames in a bedroom on the first floor. They were extinguished using a hose reel jet and fire-damaged items were removed from the room.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Darren Masini said: “The fire started after an attempt to recharge a disposable vape caused it to explode.
“One of the occupants heard the explosion and raised the alarm, calling us for help. The occupants were extremely lucky to avoid injury following this fire.”
He added: “Single use e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ are not designed to be recharged as they do not have the correct safety systems. These disposable models should only be used once.”
The following advice should always be followed by e-cigarette users:
- Never leave e-cigarettes on charge and unattended for long periods, and never leave a device on charge overnight.
- Don’t mix components of different e-cigarettes.
- Only use the charger supplied.
- Ensure that you purchase your e-cigarette from a reputable source.
- Check the e-cigarette carries CE certification.
- Follow the manufacturer’s guidance.
- Never charge e-cigarettes near or on combustible or flammable materials.
- Contact Trading Standards over any e-cigarette safety concerns.
For more advice on the safe use of e-cigarettes, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/smoking-and-e-cigarettes
