Irish girl, 7, loses right eye due to a fire explosion

A seven-year-old girl has been having “nightmares every night” after losing an eye in a suspected vape battery explosion.

A seven-year-old girl has been having “nightmares every night” after losing an eye in a suspected vape battery explosion.

Ciara Grainger’s daughter Ruby left their home in Ireland in order to go to an ice cream van but, as she was walking across a field, an open fire broke out in the grass.

Something blew up in the fire and hit the seven-year-old in the eye as she was walking back home — something her mother suspects was a vape battery.

“Next thing I know, she’s running back to the house screaming. I couldn’t believe it. There was battery acid in her eye,” Ms Grainger told the Irish Independent.

The mum suspects the fire had burnt out vapes in it. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Whether it was a vape or not, I’m still not sure, but something exploded in the fire. It shot right into her face, and she’s been in agony ever since.

“She just collapsed crying, her eye was already swollen, and I knew something was terribly wrong. We rushed her to the hospital straight away,” she added.

The mother said family members checked remnants of the fire in the estate — which she said isn’t an uncommon experience — and found burnt out vapes.

Ruby was rushed to the local hospital before being transferred to the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital for emergency surgery.

She was told there was a 50 per cent chance of Ruby losing her eye, and after the surgery her mother discovered doctors could not in fact save the schoolgirl’s eye.

Her mother said in a GoFundMe that her daughter was incredibly self conscious and was scared about being bullied.

“Ruby is such a bright and positive child and she is very thoughtful and affectionate, there are many more words to describe Ruby as she is an amazing and bright child,” Ms Grainger said.

Ruby has lost her eye. Picture: Gofundme.com

The mother said she was sharing what happened to her daughter so that no other family has to go through it.

She said her daughter was now getting used to having a prosthetic eye — a huge change for a child.

“Ruby will have to change schools because of losing her right eye she will have to go to a vision impaired school,” Ms Grainger said.

“Ruby will also never be able to go to play like she used to. Ruby also has to learn to balance again due to having a blind side, and the biggest one is Ruby is no longer able to see out of her right eye.”

She said that she reported what happened to the police and the council but nothing has been done.