A Moultonborough man is recovering in a Boston hospital after a vaporizer battery exploded in his pocket, according to his family.Watch the reportMatthew Gilson, 26, suffered second- and third-degree burns on his legs and hand.Surveillance video from his work shows smoke from the explosion coming from him before he runs off.Family members said Gilson received multiple skin grafts, and his recovery is expected to take months.His mother, Laura McRea, said he bought the vaporizer a month ago at a store in Laconia, New Hampshire, in an effort to stop using cigarettes. McRea said the store took the e-cigarette out of the packaging and put it together for him in the store.She showed the burned clothing he was wearing when the incident occurred."When I saw just the underwear, I almost fell apart," she said. "I mean, it's your kid. If my grandson had been here and he had picked that up, it would've killed him. It would've killed him. And it just breaks my heart. I don't want to see anybody else get hurt like that."McRea said she didn't know whether her son had the entire vaporizer or just the battery in his pocket.The company that makes the battery is based in China and couldn't be reached for comment.

A Moultonborough man is recovering in a Boston hospital after a vaporizer battery exploded in his pocket, according to his family.

Watch the report


Matthew Gilson, 26, suffered second- and third-degree burns on his legs and hand.



Surveillance video from his work shows smoke from the explosion coming from him before he runs off.

Family members said Gilson received multiple skin grafts, and his recovery is expected to take months.

His mother, Laura McRea, said he bought the vaporizer a month ago at a store in Laconia, New Hampshire, in an effort to stop using cigarettes. McRea said the store took the e-cigarette out of the packaging and put it together for him in the store.



She showed the burned clothing he was wearing when the incident occurred.

"When I saw just the underwear, I almost fell apart," she said. "I mean, it's your kid. If my grandson had been here and he had picked that up, it would've killed him. It would've killed him. And it just breaks my heart. I don't want to see anybody else get hurt like that."

McRea said she didn't know whether her son had the entire vaporizer or just the battery in his pocket.

The company that makes the battery is based in China and couldn't be reached for comment.