Faulty vape linked to serious Sheffield house fire which closed major road
Police and ambulance crews also attended incident
A faulty vape is thought to have caused a serious house fire which closed one of Sheffield’s busiest roads.
Firefighters were sent to Abbeydale Road, on Sunday afternoon, after a the blaze had been reported in a 999 call, with the road closed while they worked.
The road was closed near the junction with Steade Road, with red and white tape stretched across the street while emergency services worked to fight the fire.
South Yorkshire Police were also at the scene, and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service was also called to the scene.
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they they believed a faulty vape to have started the fire.
They said in a statement: “The fire is believed to have been caused by a faulty battery on a vape which spread to clothing and other materials.”
In total, three fire engines were sent to the fire fire, after a call had been received at 1.24pm on Sunday.
One hose reel was used to put the fire out, which crews say was located in an attic bedroom.
The incident had been dealt with by 3.23pm.
South Yorkshire Police said the fire was not thought to be suspicious.
Disposable vapes have previously been linked with causing fires, and were banned last year.
Vapes contain lithium batteries which can catch fire if crushed or damaged in the waste stream.
Firefighters have issued advice warning that lots of the risk around vaping and e-cigarettes is related to their batteries and how they’re charged.
Firefighters have issued online advice which warns:
- If your device came with a charger, only use that charger.
- Never leave the device charging unattended or on overnight.
- Don’t leave items continuously on charge (after the charge cycle is complete - this is usually shown by a light on the device).
- Do not cover batteries that are on charge, in case of overheating.
- Direct sunlight or freezing temperatures can damage the battery. Avoid storing, using, or charging batteries in these extreme temperatures, for example, in a car.
- Protect batteries against being damaged, crushed or punctured and don’t immerse in water.
- If the battery gets unusually hot, starts to bulge or starts hissing, stop using it immediately. Leave it in a safe place until you can dispose of it properly.
- If your device does catch fire or explode do not try to tackle the fire yourself. Get out of the property, away from the device and call 999.