A tossed vape ignited a blaze inside a garbage truck in Boise, Idaho, forcing crews to dump the burning load onto pavement to put out the flames, reported KTVB.
What happened?
On the morning of Jan. 22, firefighters rushed to a Treasure Valley parking lot after a lithium-ion battery from a thrown-away vape caught fire. The battery sparked when the truck’s compactor crushed the trash at roughly 7 a.m. local time.
Nobody suffered injuries, but the incident shows what can go wrong when these batteries end up in the wrong place.
“Lithium-ion batteries, like those used in vapes, don’t belong in trash, recycling, or compost carts; they can ignite when compacted, putting drivers at risk and damaging equipment,” the Boise Fire Department wrote on Facebook.
Why is improper vape disposal concerning?
This fire is part of a larger pattern. Sanitation workers across the country face growing dangers as more lithium batteries wind up in regular garbage bins.
Disposable vapes add another layer to the problem. These devices contain both lithium batteries and plastic components, making them a double threat when tossed carelessly. Millions of them end up in landfills each year, where they leak toxic materials into soil and water…