E-Cigarette warning after fire

Tuesday 07 October 2014

Islanders have been warned to be very careful with their e-cigarettes after one blew up while it was charging and started a fire over the weekend.

Firefighters were called to a property on Saturday afternoon after the occupiers found that a cigarette charging through a USB device had exploded, and started a small fire.

Crew Commander Ian Gough said: “The cigarette was attached to a mains USB charging device and on charge for a very short amount of time when the occupiers of the house heard a loud bang.

“On inspection of the room they were confronted by a small area of carpet alight and the remains of the ‘E’ unit lying on the floor.

“The cause of the malfunction is still being investigated.”

Firefighters say that Islanders should be careful with e-cigarette chargers, and should particularly ensure that they don’t leave devices charging overnight or mix parts from different devices.

They said: “The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service would advise the public to always use electrical equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and guidance, ensure that no electrical items are left charging overnight or left unattended for a long periods when being charged, and to ensure that they do not mix parts or chargers from different devices as charging rates can vary.”

Picture credit: Jersey Fire and Rescue Service