E-cigarettes the cause of over 100 fires since 2013: report

British fire services recorded e-cigarettes as a cause in over 100 fires since 2013, according to fire brigade statistics.

Firemen are now attending at least one blaze involving the nicotine vapour devices at least once a week, according to the data.

There has been a surge in the use of the battery-powered cigarettes across the world in recent years, now used by an estimated 2.1 million Britons.

Many of the incidents were linked to the charging of e-cigarettes, often by a cheap or incompatible charger.

"Fires caused by charging e-cigarettes are a growing problem and we are becoming increasingly concerned about them," said Martyn Allen of charity Electrical Safety First.

"People buy cheap or incompatible chargers for many reasons - often to save a few pounds - but you have to ask whether this is worth risking lives for."