Woman's horror as e-cigarette explodes and sets fire to her bed while being recharged using her charger

Lucy May plugged her e-cigarette into her phone charger overnight

But she was woken when the charger burst into flames and set fire to room

She says she could have been killed if not woken by sound of the blaze



The 22-year-old is warning others to check which chargers they can use

Follows spate of similar fires caused by smoking devices earlier this year



A woman was badly burnt when her electronic cigarette exploded in the middle of the night - because it was plugged into her phone charger.



Lucy May, 22, was in bed asleep in the early hours of Tuesday morning when her e-cigarette suddenly burst into flames.



The electronic device blew up after being plugged into an Apple USB socket - only meant for charging iPhones and iPads.



Lucy May, 22, says she could have been killed in a fire started by a e-cigarette at her home in west Wales

The fire caused hundreds of pounds of damage after Miss May plugged her e-cigarette into her iPhone charger

Shocked Miss May woke up to find her bed was on fire and she later had to be treated in hospital after suffering burns to her legs.



Miss May fears she could have killed if she hadn’t woken up in time - and is now warning people not to use phone chargers for e-cigarettes.



Office manager Miss May said: 'I had my e-cigarette on charge and went to sleep - next thing I knew I woke up to a fire.



'The flames were crackling and roaring on my duvet and dressing table, I jumped out of bed and threw a suitcase over them.



'If I had been asleep for five more minutes I would have burned to death.



'I would say to people not to use a phone charger. With USBs you assume they are universal for any gadget - but that is dangerous.'

The remains of the e-cigarette after Miss May plugged it into a USB charger meant for an iPhone

Miss May is now warning others not to make the same mistake she did and check instructions of e-cigarettes



Miss May, of Tenby, Pembrokeshire, has been trying to quit smoking since last year and bought two e-cigarettes for £35 in a local market.



She put the silver eGo e-cigarette on charge at her home after returning from a weekend away.



But it is thought the Apple USB socket she used was too powerful for the e-cigarette to cope with.



She said it 'exploded like a bullet', sending four foot flames blazing around the bedroom of her £570,000 detached house.



'The flames were crackling and roaring on my duvet and dressing table, I jumped out of bed and threw a suitcase over them. ' Lucy May after e-cigarette fire

Miss May woke up at 1am and began screaming and shouting 'fire, fire,' waking her father and twin sister Leila.



Leila, who lives at the house with her two children, called 999 and fire crews soon arrived at the scene.



Miss May, who was covered in melted plastic, was rushed to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where she was treated for third degree burns to her hands, legs and the bottom of her abdomen.



The blaze caused hundreds of pounds of damage to her duvet, bag and clothing as well as leaving scorch marks on the bedroom wall.



Her family are now urging anyone with an electronic cigarette to check charging instructions carefully, particularly when using USB chargers.



A Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: 'The fire was contained to a first floor bedroom.



'Fire crews used two breathing apparatus, one hose reel jet, thermal imaging camera, and a hydrant outside. One female was treated by paramedics for smoke inhalation and minor burns.'



Electronic cigarette company eGo declined to comment on the incident.