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Fire warning over risks of rechargeable vapes

Janine Machin
BBC News, Essex
Getty Images Three young women with long hair are standing in a street using vapes. They are exhaling plumes of vapour which looks like white smoke. Getty Images
A ban on buying disposable vapes comes into force in the UK on 1 June 2025

Disposable vapes will be illegal to buy in less than a week's time - and a fire service has issued a warning to people switching over to reusables when the ban comes in.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it had seen a rise in charger fires associated with reusable vapes, many of which are "entirely preventable".

"The majority of vape-related fires we attend are caused by unsafe charging, particularly using the wrong charger or leaving devices charging unattended" said Andrea MacAlister, the service's head of prevention.

"We've seen too many fires caused by counterfeit or incompatible chargers and batteries," she added.

ECFRS A firefighter dressed in yellow with breathing apparatus stands in a bedroom which has been left totally blacked by fire. The carpet is burned, the walls are thick with soot and the floor is littered with burned cushions, clothes and furniture.ECFRS
The fire which destroyed this bedroom in a house in Chelmsford was caused by a charging vape left unattended

Recent data from Essex Fire and Rescue Service shows in 2021 and 2022 only two vape-related fires were reported each year, but the number rose to 17 in 2023 and 2024.

The number is small compared to the millions of people in the UK who vape, but as more people switch to rechargeable devices, it is a trend the fire service is keen to address.

Ms MacAlister recommended staying in the room while a reusable vape charged "to quickly spot any signs of overheating or malfunction".

"It's also crucial to use the battery and charger that came with your vape and if you need a replacement, always buy from a reputable source," she said.

The county's fire service is offering free home fire safety visits to people in Essex who vape or smoke.

ECFRS A bedroom on the upper floor of a house. The window is missing and fire has torn through the roof so that the sky is visible through the remaining rafters. The entire room is destroyed and black and insulation from the loft is littering the floor and hanging from the charred roof timbers. ECFRS
This house fire in Maldon was caused by a vape left charging on a bed which overheated and set fire to the mattress

Every second, approximately 13 vapes are thrown away or recycled incorrectly in the UK, according to the latest research.

Vapes are powered by lithium-ion batteries which, when thrown away and crushed, have caused fires in bin lorries and waste centres.

The ban on disposable vapes aims to reduce the environmental impact of vaping and its appeal to children and young people.

ECFRS The roof of a house where the force of a fire has blown out a dormer window. A ladder is propped against the roof and a jet of water from a fire hose is being sprayed through the window void and into the building.ECFRS
Essex Fire Service is concerned about a rise in charger-related fires once the ban on disposables comes into force

Those who vape are also being warned of the dangers of counterfeits, with raids by trading standards teams on shops in Southend-on-Sea recently uncovering 1000 non-compliant disposable vapes.

Similarly, in Thurrock, 45,000 illegal vapes have been seized in the past three years, including some sold at a car boot sale which were linked to a young person needing hospital treatment.

In March, magistrates ordered the Mellow Yellow Vape Shack, in Grays, to be closed for three months after illegal vapes and tobacco were discovered for the second time in six months.

Health experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping, as it may cause long-term damage to lungs, hearts and brains.

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