Lawsuit over battery explosion

A man from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, has filed a lawsuit after suffering second- and third-degree burns following the explosion of an e-cigarette battery in his pants pocket.

“There was a flash, and he was on fire,” said attorney Tom Merriman, who is representing the plaintiff. “He literally drops to the ground, rolls, puts out the fire and realizes this vape battery has exploded.”

The injury was about the size of a volleyball and required extensive treatment by burn specialists at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

According to the Associated Press, there have been about 200 fires and more than 130 injuries in the U.S. related to e-cigarettes since 2009.

The battery was manufactured by LG Chem of South Korea. The lawsuit also targets a retailer.