After smartphones, e-cigarettes are also exploding

The vaporiser was customised to a higher voltage

It seems smartphones aren’t the only gadgets exploding. A man from New York City suffered third-degree burns when an e-cigarette exploded in his pocket.

Otis Gooding, an employee at a New York City wine store, was standing at the shop's counter when the e-cigarette exploded burning his leg, thigh and hand. Security footage from the store showed Gooding jumping as he attempted to get the device out of his pocket. The ill-starred smoker was later admitted to the Weill Cornell Medical Center burn unit where he is expected to undergo surgery.



Luckily no one else was injured during this incident. However, witnesses said they were “shaken up” by the explosion.

"Unfortunately there was nothing we could do but call the police,"John Lee, another employee of Central Cellars Wine and Spirits, told CNN. "Otis ran water on himself till the paramedics came. I was traumatised to see someone hurt that way," Lee said.



He also mentioned that the device had been customised to a higher voltage so that it delivered more juice. "I've never seen one that has so much power, its aftermarket customised so you can change the voltage for high performances," he said.



This is not the first time a vaporizer has exploded. A similar incident occurred earlier this year when an e-cigarette exploded in a man's face in New York causing serious injuries. Another incident happened earlier this month when a nightclub owner's vaporizer exploded while he was standing outside, leaving him with second degree burns.

This article originally appeared on CNN.