Watch: London lorry driver's vape battery explodes while he is at the wheel

Video captures the moment an exploding vape battery burnt a lorry driver and almost destroyed a £130k vehicle.
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This is the moment a lorry driver's vape battery exploded, sending flames shooting up and burning his arm.

Liam Moriarty, 33, was waiting for a collection in Dartford, Kent, when a spare battery exploded after falling from his pocket.

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Liam had reclined his seat when the battery fell into his chair's mechanism, which pinched the battery, causing it to explode.

Liam, who is from southeast London, said: "The tilt mechanism for the chair pinched the battery, just my luck.

"There was a loud hissing sound and by the time I looked up the flame came up and burnt my elbow."

Liam's truck is ADR equipped, which means it is able to carry dangerous goods and had a fire extinguisher ready.

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Liam said there a bed and other flammable items were nearby, meaning the cab could have ignited and destroyed the £130,000 lorry.

A lorry driver's vape battery catches exploded in his pocket. A lorry driver's vape battery catches exploded in his pocket.
A lorry driver's vape battery catches exploded in his pocket.

Liam said: "It's just the fact that it's an ADR-equipped truck that the fire extinguisher was there.

"On the side with the cog mechanism, there's a bed, a seat, all things that can burn, it might have gone up in flames."

Luckily his injuries were not severe and the flames did little more than singe his skin a little.

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Liam said: "I was more worried about the lorry which was was a three-month-old vehicle.

"i wouldn't have a job and there would be a massive insurance claim. Each one of those lorries costs £130,000.

"It would have been massive."

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