VIDEO: E-cigarette explodes inside employee's pocket in NY wine shop

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Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Video shows e-cigarette explode in man's pocket
Surveillance video shows an e-cigarette explode inside a man's pocket in a store in Grand Central Terminal. Video courtesy of Central Cellars.

NEW YORK CITY -- A worker at a wine store in Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal suffered burns to his hand and leg after an e-cigarette caught fire in his pocket Wednesday morning.

The incident, which was captured on surveillance camera, happened around 9:50 a.m. inside Central Cellars.

The man, identified as Otis Gooding, was working in the store when the e-cigarette started sparking in his pocket. A colleague said it was sizzling and then caught fire. He said it looked like he had a pocket full of firecrackers.

Gooding is seen patting his leg and reportedly burned his hand.

He was taken by private ambulance to a local hospital, where he's in stable condition. His attorney, Sanford Rubenstein, said he was admitted to the burn unit for treatment and will require surgery.

This photo shows the aftermath of the explosion:

Jonathan Lee

The colleague said the e-cigarette had a high-voltage battery, but there was no indication why it caught fire.

There was no impact to train service.