Used vape may have caused waste vehicle fire

News imageAshford Borough Council A litter collection van on fire.Ashford Borough Council
Nobody injuries were reported in the fire which happened in Ashford earlier, the fire service said

A used vape is believed to have caused a "very serious" waste vehicle fire, a council has said.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said it sent two fire engines to Tithe Barn Lane, Great Chart, Ashford, shortly after 11:30 BST, but the cause of the fire was not yet known.

However, Ashford Borough Council (ABC) said initial inspections suggested it was caused by a used vape.

The authority said: "Used vapes are not to be put into bins, including litter bins, for this exact reason."

There were no injuries and the crew on the truck were expecting to carry out their regular duties for the rest of the day, ABC said.

A spokesperson added: "We remind residents to always recycle batteries and electricals separately from household rubbish/recycling by taking them to a designated drop-off point."

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