Mum 'nearly dies' after vape battery explodes sending jacker 'up in flames'
A mum whose vape battery exploded in her pocket feared she was about to burn to death when her jacket went up in flames.
Leeanne Anderson was visiting her sister following wrist surgery when she heard a small explosion. To her horror, she realised it came from her jacket pocket and she was quickly engulfed by flames between her knee and shoulder. The 43-year-old says her puffer gilet “melted off” as her sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law Alan Parker worked to put out the fire. Leeanne, from Camberley, Surrey, said her whole leg was 'completely charred' as well as suffering severe burns on her left hand.
She said: “It all happened so fast, I sat down and my sister was just about to hand me my cup of coffee when all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere there was this big explosion noise. I was still quite out of it from my surgery so didn't really know what was going on then my coat just lit up in flames. My brother-in-law saw it throw me across the sofa and my sister was there trying to rip my coat off me because one side was completely melted.
Leeanne Anderson was visiting her sister after wrist surgery when she heard a small explosion (Kennedy News and Media)"When they got all my clothes off me, my sister ran me straight upstairs and threw me in the bath. My brother-in-law ripped my sling off me because it was in flames. The flames were getting higher and higher. They went from my knee up to my shoulder - the whole length of my coat."
Shocking photos show the rug and sofa Leeanne was sitting on seared black as a result of the exploded vape. After an assessment at Frimley Park Hospital in Camberley, Leeanne had her left hand bandaged and will return to the hospital to have the wounds re-dressed.
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The mum said the incident has left her feeling 'lucky to be alive' - and with a new sense of awareness over the dangers of vape batteries. She added: “My whole leg was completely charred, my stomach was burnt. I burnt a couple of fingers on my surgery hand but my left hand got the brunt of it. From my knee up it was completely charred.
The charred chair where Leeanne was sat (Kennedy News and Media)
Leeanne's injured hand (Kennedy News and Media)"It was like someone had put a flame-thrower on my hand - it was so painful." You never expect something like this to happen to you. It scared me but I was more worried about my sister. She saw one of her loved ones literally on fire.
"I feel lucky to be alive. What if I was asleep when it happened? Would I have woken up? All those things go through your head. If it wasn't for my sister and brother-in-law, it would've been a whole different story.
"I was unaware of the dangers of batteries. It's actually quite scary, especially for all the youngsters using vapes. My advice would be never put a vape battery in your pocket, always use a carry case for them, and if you do, never put them near your keys, phone or money, it can set the battery off inside. I'll never put a battery in my pocket ever again."
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