A Texas man is suing the store where he bought electronic cigarette batteries after they exploded in his pocket and caused injuries to his thighs and scrotum . David Powell , of Arlington , is seeking a minimum of $ 1million after receiving first and second degree burns from the incident that occurred while he was playing kickball at his daughter 's birthday party . The two lithium-ion batteries Mr Powell bought from Vixen Vapors a couple days earlier were not struck , but exploded in his cargo shorts and sent ' a scathing hot mixture of shrapnel ' into his groin . Scroll down for video . Warning : Graphic image below . David Powell ( background ) was injured during a kickball game in August after e-cigarette batteries he bought from Vixen Vapors in Texas exploded in the pocket of his cargo shorts ( foreground ) Vixen Vapors ( left ) now has signs that tell customers about the dangers of storing e-cigarette batteries following the incident that left Mr Powell with first and second degree burn ( right , month after incident ) It was ' a hot , fizzing kind of explosion . Not a loud kaboom , [ more like ] a sizzling star . The sparks were shooting from his crotch area ' the man 's lawyer John Ross told the Forth Worth Star-Telegram . He quickly rushed to a shower to wash off the lithium and other chemicals , but the former Marine still had to spend four days in a burn unit after the August incident . Mr Powell is now able to wear pants again . Vixen Vapors does not make the batteries in question , and they are thought to be manufactured in China . Mr Powell and Mr Ross allege that the products were 'unreasonably dangerous ' and 'failed to conform to the applicable design standards and specifications . ' In a statement to CBS DFW , Vixen Vapors said 'we work hard to educate our customers on their proper use and storage . We believe that if a product is defective , then its manufacturer should take responsibility . ' The brand of batteries that exploded in Mr Powell 's pocket , manufactured in China , has not been pulled from the shelves at Vixen Vapors . The shop has put up a sign warning to customers about putting batteries in anything other than a battery safety box . The brand of batteries that exploded has not been pulled . Dangerous incidents associated with e-cigarettes have become more common as the devices , which work by heating liquid with nicotine and turning it into vapor to be inhaled . A collection of media reports show that 25 accidents with e-cigarettes and their batteries occurred between 2009 and 2014 . A 29-year-old man in southern California quit smoking on Monday after his e-cigarette blew up his hand shortly after he pulled it away from his face , according ABC7 . The cigarette shot up and stuck in his ceiling . Other incidents have seen homes and cars worth thousands of dollars destroyed because of malfunctioning devices . Most e-cigarette accidents occur while the device is being charged after the battery becomes overheated . While many studies have said that electronic cigarettes are safer than their traditional tobacco counterparts , debate continues about their long-term effects . The UN 's World Health Organization released a report last year saying that the devices could be gateways to traditional smoking and called for regulations against advertisements that could entice children . Firefighters have told e-cigarette users to : . - Charge the device on a flat , solid and stable surface , such as a kitchen worktop ; . - Keep the device away from flammable or combustible materials when charging ; . - Never leave the device on a bed or close to soft furnishings , or in a cluttered space ; . - Don ’ t exceed the recommended charging time , or leave unattended for any significant length of time e.g . overnight while you ’ re asleep , or if you go out ; . - Don ’ t buy cheap , unbranded chargers and always follow the manufacturer ’ s instructions . E-cigarette chargers , like this one which set fire to a building in London , are behind an increasing number of blazes .
Vixen Vapor , of Arlington , Texas , bought batteries days before explosion . David Powell store does not make the devices , which come from China . Former Marine had to spend four days in burn unit with injuries to groin .