A gas station surveillance video from Owensboro, KY shows the result of leaving a loose lithium-ion battery in your pocket.
Josh Hamilton was at the convenience store buying snacks when the battery in his pocket suddenly exploded and burst into flames. The video shows him then running outside and a gas station employee putting out the flames with a fire extinguisher.
Even though they were able to put out the fire, Josh was still sent to the hospital with second degree burns on his leg.
While we always feel bad for the victims of these incidents, it’s important to note that it’s 100% user error in the vast majority of these cases. The lithium-ion batteries that are used in most mods are unprotected, meaning that if they come into contact with another piece of metal they can short and cause explosions/fires. It’s been a regular occurrence for loose e-cig batteries to explode in people’s pockets, mostly because they come in contact with loose change or keys, causing the battery to short.
If you absolutely must carry around extra batteries in your pocket, make sure you buy a battery case for them. They’re available for just a couple bucks on Amazon and they can save you a trip to the hospital.
Hopefully Josh can experience a full recovery from this traumatic incident.
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