A staff member of a southwest Idaho hospital got a surprise this week when an electronic cigarette she had stored in her purse ignited while on her shoulder.

A staffer at St. Luke's Hospital in Meridian made local news this week when her E-cigarette exploded in her purse, resulting in her jacket and purse sustaining damage, according to details shared by idahonews.com. The heating mechanism inside an electronic cigarette can, and often does, overheat, which can cause serious injury.

In June of 2019, a Nevada teen had an electronic cigarette explode in his face, which resulted in facial fractures and broken teeth. The minor had to undergo multiple surgeries following the incident, and suffered permanent damage. There were close to 200 cases of injuries caused by overheating E-cigarette between 2009 and 2016.

In the case of the St. Luke's employee this week, she did not sustain any serious injuries. A security officer with the hospital came to the unnamed woman's aid after witnessing the incident. Both her purse, and jacket, were severely burnt as a result from the explosion.

The hospital in the Meridian has now instituted a ban on these devises on St. Luke's property. There have been two documented deaths from overheating electronic cigarettes. Last year, a Florida man's cause of death was ruled to be from a malfunctioning E-cigartte.  In January of 2019, a Texas man died from injuries sustained when his devise malfunctioned in his mouth.

For more information on the dangers of these devices, with the website of the United States surgeon general.

 

 

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