Man badly burned after e-cigarette explodes in pocket; it's a trend, doctors say

OWENSBORO, Ky. - E-cigs are bad for your health in more ways than one, it turns out.

A Kentucky man was badly burned after an e-cigarette battery exploded in his pocket, WFIE reported, an injury doctors at Harborview Medical Center said is becoming more common.

Josh Hamilton was waiting in line at Shell station when the device exploded. He ran out the door and fought to take his pants off before an employee put the fire out with an extinguisher.

A customer drove him to the hospital with second-degree burns on his leg.

Earlier this week, doctors at Harborview said they've treated at least four people who've been burned by exploding batteries in e-cigs since last October.

"All of our patients have said that they have had little or no warning before these explosions occurred," said Dr. Elisha Brownson, a trauma and burn fellow at Harborview.