E-Cigarette Battery Explodes In New Jersey Woman’s Bag

The battery of an electronic cigarette exploded in a woman’s bag at a New Jersey mall, according to surveillance video that captured the incident. Though no one was injured, the explosion triggered a scare in the mall, the Associated Press (AP) reported Wednesday.

Mara McInerney’s placed her Louis Vuitton bag on a counter of the Freehold Raceway Mall when the battery exploded. The cashier and another shopper looked terrified after the small blast. McInerney then removed the damaged items from the bag and put them on the floor. She said all her belongings were either molten or burnt, according to AP. She added that the e-cigarette battery was in a pocket by itself when it exploded.

In February, Kentucky resident Josh Hamilton sustained severe burns on his right thigh after his e-cigarette’s exploded in his pocket. He was reportedly paying for snacks at a Shell gas station when a burst of fire came forth from his pants. Hamilton’s was one of several cases of e-cigarette battery explosion earlier this year.

Following the explosions, Department of Transportation permanently banned e-cigarettes on all commercial flights.