Driver shares pictures of horrifying injuries after battery explodes in her pocket
A WOMAN has urged others to store batteries safely after one exploded in her pocket while she was driving.
Ellie Petty was travelling in the fast lane of the A303 near Andover when the vape battery burst into flames.
The 32-year-old stopped her car in the middle of the road and threw off her jacket, before going to the hard shoulder to call an ambulance.
She said: ‘The batteries exploded like a gas torch, I could feel the flames on my side.
‘I stopped the car and left the jacket on the central reservation.’
Ellie suffered third-degree burns to her thigh, with more injuries to her hands, fingers and wrists.
She said: ‘The burns did look quite gruesome. It’s like something out of a horror film.’
She has spoken out about the incident, which happened on May 4, to warn others about the danger of loose batteries.
The Salisbury resident said: ‘It wasn’t advised on the batteries that this was a risk.
‘I just want to make sure that people know that they should never be left loose.
‘They should be kept in a case, rather than left on their own in a drawer at home.’
Hampshire Fire and Rescue said it had been called out after passers-by spotted the flaming jacket on the central reservation.
A spokesman urged people to buy electrical goods from reputable sellers and to make sure they use the correct charger.