Vape charger sparks fire leaving Maldon family homeless

An overheating vape started a fire which destroyed a bedroom and left a home smoke-damaged, said the fire service.

Crews were called to a house fire in Maldon in Essex on Tuesday afternoon, and found the first floor of a house in Jersey Road full of smoke and a bedroom in flames.

Investigations revealed that the blaze had started in the bedroom where an unattended vape - an electronic cigarette - had been left on the bed plugged into a charger.

Fire crews have issued a safety warning reminding people to take care when charging electrical devices.

Watch manager Martin Cable from Maldon Fire Station said: "This fire has caused extensive damage to the house and the occupants will not be able to live there for some time - there is a lot of damage to repair.

"The fire started in the bedroom where a vape, which was plugged into a charger, was left on the bed unattended. The vape overheated and caught the bedding and mattress alight. The fire then spread around the bedroom.

"Incidents like this show how important it is to think about how you should charge your electrical items safely. We advise that you only use a reputable charger, and not a cheap alterntive which are often not tested or conform to safety standards.

"We also urge people not to leave any electrical items charging unattended and to place the items on a fire resistant surface, not a bed or sofa which are much more flammable."

The fire was extinguished by crews.

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