A dad from Northwich suffered horrific burns after his e-cigarette battery exploded next to him while he slept.
Kevin Woodward, 30, woke screaming as the Eleaf iStick blew up while it was charging at 4.30am.
He said it was ‘like a horror movie’ as he quickly put out the flames with a pillow and got his two kids and fiancée out of the house.
The scrapyard worker said his son Taylor James, three, had got out of the bed two hours earlier, which may have saved his life.
Kevin said: “We are both lucky to be here. I had gone to bed at about 11pm and woke at 2.30am because Taylor was wriggling around.
“Thankfully, that was when he got out of the bed.
“I later woke up and the right hand side of my face was on fire. It felt like someone was using a blow torch on me.
“I didn’t have a clue what was happening – it was like a horror movie.”
Warning: Graphic image of Kevin's burns below
Kevin’s ordeal comes after reports of at least 100 exploding e-cigs.
He said: “When I realised what was happening I managed to slam a pillow on top of the fire, opened the windows and got the kids out of the house.
“It’s terrifying to think what could have happened if the kids had been in bed as well at the time. The paramedics were shocked when they arrived.
“My fiancée couldn’t really speak when she saw my injuries – she has just been in tears all the time.”
An estimated 2.6 million adults living in Britain now use electronic cigarettes which are set to be offered on prescription by GPs.
Kevin, who only took up e-cigs a year ago in a bid to improve his health, is currently undergoing treatment in hospital.
He is due to marry Jenny in November and said last night: “I dread to think what I’ll look like.”
Kevin and Jenny live with their youngsters Taylor James and Alexia Jordan, two.
Jenny told of her horror as the nightmare unfolded.
She said: “I woke up and all I could hear was the sound of flames burning and Kevin screaming. The bedroom was thick with smoke.
“I’m just so glad my son had got out because it could have been so much worse. If he had still been in the bed I would have been burying my son now.
“There is no way he could have survived those burns.
“It’s horrendous to think about and we’re still shaken.
“When I first saw Kevin’s injuries I was terrified. It just wasn’t my Kevin. I didn’t even want to look at him.”
Kevin added: “I’ve been using e-cigarettes for the last 12 months, after being a smoker for the last ten years, because I thought they were better for my health. It seems they’re obviously not though.”
He is recovering on the specialist burns unit at Whiston Hospital on Merseyside where he is under strict instructions not to leave his room.
Visitors under the age of 16 – including his own children – are banned.
Kevin added: “The doctors are saying that hopefully the scarring and redness will go down in around six months. My wounds are still weeping a lot and the nurses are having to come in and dress them every day.
“I can’t thank them enough or speak any more highly of them, they’ve been brilliant. Hopefully I won’t have to have skin grafts so I think I’ve been lucky really. I haven’t been able to see the kids since because I’m not allowed to leave the ward and not allowed visitors aged under 16 because of the increased threat of infection.”
Jenny added: “The kids are still upset and confused. My son keeps saying ‘I’m worried about Daddy, when I can I see Daddy?’ I just really don’t want this to happen to anybody else.”
Last year, a series of destructive fires caused by exploding e-cigarette chargers prompted a nationwide safety alert in the UK.
The Local Government Association, representing the UK’s fire services, urged e-cig manufacturers to display warnings on packaging after more than 100 blazes over the past two years were linked to the devices.
Kevin has complained to the Chinese makers of the Eleaf iStick. They were not available for comment.
