Man’s warning to e-cigarette users after suffering agonising burns

A man has issued a terrifying warning to e-cigarette users after he suffered agonising burns from a lithium-ion battery.

WARNING: Graphic images

The terrifying moment a lithium-ion battery caught fire in Steve’s pocket, he saw a “burning, white flash, like a flare” and heard “something hissing like crazy”.

“The battery burnt through the shorts and fell on the ground, where it was still on fire, with this intense, white light and heat,” he said.

“When I peeled back my shorts, the skin on the thigh looked like it had melted and there was a black char burn where the battery had stuck to the skin.”

Steve, who did not want his surname published, said he was lucky paramedics were nearby to help.

The cameraman spent one week at the Fiona Stanley Hospital burns unit in Perth’s south after the incident in March, requiring skin grafts to heal his agonising burns.

Steve said he was lucky paramedics were nearby to help.

Steve said his treatment in hospital included grafts from his good leg and spray-on skin.

“The worst pain was actually in my hands from when I batted at the flames,” he said.

“It’s pretty scary how much damage these batteries can do in just a few seconds.”

Steve is using his awful experience to warn users of portable devices, such as e-cigarettes, about the potential hazards of batteries and chargers.

His incident happened at the Ascot Racecourse when he placed some coins in the same pocket as a loose lithium-ion battery used for a vape.

“I’ve been using these batteries for years and I was probably a bit blase about it,” he said.

“I had noticed that the plastic coating was starting to come off the battery and, in hindsight, I should have just thrown it away.

“The battery was loose and uncased in the lower pocket of my cargo shorts.

“I usually pay for things by card but, on this occasion, I bought a coffee with cash and threw the change in my pocket without thinking.

“There must have been a perfect storm where the coins touched each side of the battery terminal at the same time and it ignited.”

Steve said his treatment in hospital included grafts from his good leg and spray-on skin.

The incident follows another in January when a mine worker suffered serious thermal and chemical burns to his leg when a vape battery combusted while he was in a ute.

A Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety report described the incident as “not unlike fireworks going off and flying around the inside of the vehicle”.

Other explosions have caused deaths overseas.

Western Australia’s Director of Energy Safety, Saj Abdoolakhan, said lithium-ion batteries were at risk of short-circuiting and exploding if metal objects, like keys and coins, made contact with exposed terminals.

“Lithium-ion batteries of all sizes carry a huge amount of stored energy,” he said.

“This is what makes them a popular source of power for a wide range of equipment, such as whipper-snippers, drills, mobile phones and computers.

“It’s also what makes them dangerous when they do ignite, so it’s vital that all batteries and chargers comply with Australian electrical standards and that they are in good condition and used safely.”

A mine worker suffered serious thermal and chemical burns to his leg when a vape battery combusted while he was travelling in a ute.

SAFETY ADVICE:

• Never use batteries showing signs of damage, swelling or overheating, particularly if the protective layer or wrapping has come away
• Do not place batteries in direct sunlight or on hot surfaces
• Do not leave batteries or vape products in your car, especially on hot days
• Avoid overcharging batteries
• Use a protective device, such as a case, to safely transport the battery
• Only use charging equipment supplied with the device or recommended by the manufacturer
• Be cautious about purchasing chargers and other electrical equipment from overseas
• Look for a regulatory compliance mark (a tick inside a triangle)

Originally published as Man’s warning to e-cigarette users after suffering agonising burns