Woman is left with third degree burns after e-cigarette explodes in her jeans pocket

A Queens woman says she was badly burned when an electronic cigarette battery exploded in her jeans pocket while she was parking her car.

Katrina Williams, 26, of Richmond Hill in Queens says she was justt parking her car when the lithium ion battery she was carrying exploded so forcefully it ripped the skin off her knee and shredded her jeans.

The e-cigarette exploded so forcefully, it became lodged in the dashboard of her car, meanwhile she was left with third-degree burns and has had to undergo numerous skin grafts.

‘I’m in severe pain,’ said Ms Williams to THE NEWS GRID It was like a firecracker that actually went off I was like in shock. I didn’t know where it was coming from until I seen the actual explosion come out of my pocket.’

Ms. Williams says the entire ordeal has left her scarred and traumatized for life. She is now suing both the store she bought the e-cigarette from and the manufacturer.

‘It’s horrible it’s just very dangerous,’ Williams said. ‘I just hope that it doesn’t happen to anybody else at this time, I just want to feel better.’

She says that she now has difficulty walking, having to rely on a cane and is also unable to work. She is scheduled to have surgery this week to repair the burned skin on her leg.