A man says he was left with nasty burns to his leg and genitals after his e-cigarette exploded in his pocket, causing a fire.
Damian Gola, who lives in Katowice, Poland said he was out walking with his wife Sylwia and 10-year-old daughter Julka when the device burst into flames.
Forty-one-year-old Damian said: “We were coming back after our stroll and while the girls got into the car, I went to check the washer fluid. In that moment there was an explosion in my pocket.”
Speaking to local media, his wife added: “If it happened while we were driving there could have been a tragedy. We were shocked, my husband was in flames!”
Damian was rushed into hospital, where he was treated for third degree burns to his thigh and genitals.
The wound on his leg was so deep that necrosis – where the skin starts to die off – had set in, meaning Damian had to undergo a skin graft on his right leg.
Now, Damian is hoping to warn other vapers about the potential dangers of such e-cig devices.
“I want to tell people about e-cigarettes,” he said. “Various manufacturers are selling them with either built-in batteries or with a battery pack like I had! Some have even have up to three batteries.
“What would happen if it exploded while filling up the car with petrol?”
Damian has said he will be demanding compensation from the manufacturer once he is feeling better and has vowed not to use it anymore.
Although e-cig explosions are fairly rare, they can have horrendous consequences.
Darren Wilson, 37, had to have skin grafted from his bum to his thighs after his device exploded.
He was also left relying on strong painkillers to cope with the pain.
Speaking about the incident he said: “I have been refurbishing my house. I was stood by the kitchen door and the next thing I thought someone had thrown a firework into the doorway.
“I looked down and my pocket was going off like a banger; it was fizzing and sparking and smoke was coming from it. I was wearing my work pants and tried to get it out, but it burnt through and burnt all my bollocks and my left leg.
“I can’t walk, I need morphine every time I go to have a shower or wash and clean. They need to re-dress it every eight hours.”