Vapes warning as fires in bin lorries rise

Vapes are being blamed for a worrying rise in a local authority's bin lorry fires.

East Devon District Council says it has recorded three waste collection fires since the start of 2026, almost matching the four incidents seen across the whole of last year.

It said the issue was "primarily due to vapes" because of lithium-ion batteries, which are also found inside many other everyday items. When damaged or crushed in rubbish trucks, they can set off sudden fires.

Waste firm Biffa, which had a vehicle affected by a fire last year at Millwey Rise Industrial Estate, Axminster, said at the time the cause was unknown but warned it had seen a "growing number" of fires involving lithium-ion batteries.

Similar incidents have also been reported in Exeter and Plymouth, raising concerns across the county, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A council spokesperson said two fires this year happened at depots and one inside a vehicle.

"All were dealt with quickly so were small scale," they said. "However, without the depot staff and crew's quick reactions these could have been worse.

"The fires do cause disruption, most so far have been extinguished in the vehicle but then crews need to travel back to the depot and offload."

They added: "Numbers are rising, primarily due to vapes."

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.