A dad has described the terrifying moment an e-cig exploded in his pocket - and is warning people to vape safely.
Contractor Richard Bingham, who suffered third degree burns when the vape came into contact with his keys, says it was "like a bomb going off in my pocket".
He still has scars on his leg from the frightening accident last summer, and blistering to his hand where he'd tried to retrieve the burning e-cig.
“I could hear a hissing and popping and I was looking around asking what it was," the dad-of-one said.
"Then it stopped and all of a sudden I felt this heat in my pocket and I knew straight away what was happening.
“I was trying to get my vape out of my pocket but it was burning my hand so I couldn’t get it out."
Richard, 37, was fortunately working at Whittington Hospital in north London at the time and was rushed to A&E for treatment.
"Everyone was helping me as I was trying to get my boots undone so I could get my trousers off but it was too late – I was already badly burnt. Hospital staff were coming out and pouring water over my leg," he continued.
“It all happened so quickly but I have never felt pain like it. I can laugh about it now but I’ve never been so scared – it was like a bomb going off in my pocket.”
Although Richard fortunately didn't need skin grafts, he fears the accident could have been even worse if he hadn’t happened to be working in a hospital at the time.
He has now joined London Fire Brigade in supporting an Office for Product and Safety Standards campaign to highlight the potential dangers of using vapes.
Richard's girlfriend works in a vape shop, but despite this he wasn't aware that coming into contact with metal items could lead to them exploding.
He added: “I’ve been vaping for about four years and seen videos of them exploding but you just don’t expect it to go off like that.
"I must have been lucky as I’ve always had change or keys in my pocket - I just don’t think people are aware of the dangers.
“I did try to give up and haven’t been able to, but I’m so careful now.
"I’ve got one of the cases to keep everything in and I never carry my vape around with me and if I see other people vaping I walk away.”
Fire investigators believe the keys in Richard’s pocket may have caused the vape’s battery to short-circuit.
Although the Brigade has only attended a handful of incidents involving vape batteries, firefighters are concerned about the near misses which haven’t been reported.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Charlie Pugsley, said: “Compared to the number of fires we see caused by cigarettes, vaping could be seen as a much safer option.
“However, we are concerned that there are often cases such as Richard’s where the batteries have short-circuited and gone out but there is a very real potential of them starting a serious fire.
“If you are using vaping products it’s vital you only use the charger it was supplied with and never overcharge it.”
For advice on how to vape safely, visit the London Fire Brigade website.
