Dad's leg 'exploded' when shopping with daughter after 'ticking timebomb' went off in pocket

WARNING: Graphic images - Robert Kane has issued a warning to other vapers

A dad has spoken out about the terrifying moment his e-cigarette battery erupted in flames inside his pocket. Robert Kane compared the agony to 'having his leg placed in an oven' after corrosive battery acid ate through his thigh and lower leg.

Doctors told the 37-year-old his injuries were one of the worst cases they had seen. He is now alerting other vapers that their devices might be similar to 'potentially carrying a ticking time bomb in their pocket'.

Robert said he adopted vaping as a healthier option, prompted by government health advice. He was accompanying his daughter on a shopping trip in Baguley, Wythenshawe when as they stood outside B&M, his trousers suddenly started "fizzing and sparking like a firework", reports the Liverpool Echo.

Revealing the nightmare incident, he said: "People need to know how dangerous e-cigarettes are. It all happened in a flash. The pain was incredible - like my leg had been put in an oven. I went to a vape shop as e-cigs were supposed to be healthier, but instead they scarred me for life and I'm back on the cigs instead."

He continued: "Now I tell anyone vaping is not worth it. They are potentially walking around with a ticking time bomb in their pocket. I got third-degree burns in seconds from a battery and have the scars to prove it."

Having made the switch to e-cigarettes in April 2019 following governmental guidance suggesting they were a safer smoking alternative, he claimed no safety instructions were given regarding the storage of the e-cigarette or its battery when he purchased them. Following the incident, he took legal action against the vape shop in question and succeeded in obtaining over £20,000 in compensation.

Recounting the terrifying episode, he recounted: "It was the same sound as when you first light a firework. And then I had this incredible burning pain on my leg. I saw some smoke so I pulled down my jeans and pants to my knees, but then realised I was naked. So, I pulled up my pants quickly and then there was some sparks and a second bang.

After the device exploded, he observed the burnt-out battery fall to the ground, picking it up later. His sister swiftly took him to Wythenshawe hospital for treatment, where he underwent a warm water shower to wash the battery acid off his wound.

Mr Kane, who works as an engineering technician, relayed how doctors informed him the acid had eaten through three layers of skin, with medics indicating it was among the most extreme cases they'd seen. He shared his ordeal: "It was horrific, like I had been in a fireball. The nurses were peeling off my skin. It had burnt so deep you could see my muscle. It was 11 out of 10 pain - indescribable."

Throughout his 12-day admission to the burns unit, Mr Kane was administered morphine and antibiotics, all the while fretting over whether surgery would be required. He went on to say: "I didn't want to have two disfigured legs, so I said no to a skin graft.

"Every few days they removed all the dead skin and peeled it off and it looked horrible like a snake shedding its skin. I thought it would never get better. That was one of the hardest things, having to learn to walk again along with the constant pain in my leg, which felt like it was constantly on fire."

Following a six-month recovery period and an 18-month restriction from sun exposure and holidays abroad due to the risk of UV rays, he has issued a stern warning to those using external battery-powered e-cigarettes. His advice is clear: "Don't do it, never keep batteries in your pocket, and if you have them in a bag keep them in a carry case as they could blow up at anytime."

Catherine Citron, a personal injury specialist from Sharston-based Express Solicitors who secured compensation for him, commented on the incident stating, "Robert was trying to be healthier by not smoking tobacco and now has been left with a badly scarred leg for life. His injuries were horrific and not what you expect to happen from a shop-bought e-cigarette battery. Any premises selling e-cigarettes or vapes need to give appropriate safety advice."