SOUTHINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — A van carrying over 2,000 vape pens went up in smoke this week in Southington, Connecticut.
The car fire, which was initially reported on I-691 Eastbound between Exits 5 and 3 on Tuesday, caused hours of traffic delays.
Southington-based Environmental Services, Inc., who assisted the Southington Fire Department with the clean-up, said more than 2,000 vapes were determined to be in the van at the time of the fire. They all burned and were destroyed in the blaze.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The fire department said all of the waste is being removed and will be disposed of properly.
E-cigarettes, or vapes, can catch on fire or explode, according to the FDA. While these incidents are uncommon, vape fires and explosions are dangerous to the person using the vaping product, as well as others around them.
It can be extremely dangerous if a vape battery catches fire or explodes near flammable gasses or liquids like oxygen, propane, or gasoline.
In the case of Tuesday’s incident in Southington, the fire chief of the Southington Fire Department said the blaze was not caused by the vaping devices, but rather an accident that the driver was involved in, Connecticut’s Hartford Courant reported.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.