E-cigarette wrecked car when in Exploded 'like a firework'

                 A motorist told today how his car was wrecked when his electronic cigarette exploded while charging. Chris Thomas, 37, said the e-cigarette shot out of the 12V power socket 'like a firework' and landed on the back seat of his Skoda company car, setting fire to the upholstery. Flames destroyed the rear seat and a child seat, scorched the front headrests and visors and left all the windows badly smoke blackened. Vehicle inspector Chris Thomas left the device charging overnight in the 12V power socket of his Skoda Superb. But it shot out of the socket and engulfed the car in flames. The fire wrecked the upholstery, a child's car seat, scorched the front headrests and visors and left all the windows badly smoke blackened. Liquid from the popular 29.99 pounds Vaporiz Tank is thought to have leaked and caught fire in the explosion.

                  Chris 37, said :" The car alarm went off in the early hours of the morning so I went out and saw there was no one around and clicked it off and went back to bed. The cigarette had been charging in the front point and it's as if it went off like a firework. Even the front visors are burnt through. I can't believe what happened. When I told my partner she was shocked. What if it was in the house charging and had gone off inside?. "God knows what would have happened then or if it had gone off when we were driving and I've got children inside the car." The bill to repair the car could run into the thousands. Chris, from Maesycwmmer, South Wales, started smoking e-cigarettes four months ago in an attempt to kick his 40 a day habit. He is one of 1.3 million Britons who have taken up the devices and opted for the Vaporiz Tank which is topped up using a liquid.

                  The firm's website warns users not to leave the cigarettes unattended as they charge up, but this can take four hours.Chris said he was packing up the tobacco alternative after the fire, which follows two other incidents with another e-cig brand. I used to be a heavy smoker but I've touched a cigarette for four months since I tried these. I know a lot of people who smoke and I've told them about the electronic cigarette. The product is excellent, but the thought of it blowing up is terrifying. Big tobacco has jumped een masse into the e-cigarette market and all the major cigarette makers now make them. As they've grown in popularity there have been several reports of e-cigarettes exploding due to the lithium-ion batteries inside them becoming overheated.