Incident Overview
A man required emergency airlift to hospital after a vape battery exploded, resulting in severe burns that stripped the skin from his leg.
Gavin Sutherland was carrying a spare lithium battery in his pocket while working in a jewellery workshop located in Orkney.
"I heard a hiss and slight movement in my pocket," he recalled. "Then it went off like a firework - the blast searing into my thigh."
The 40-year-old was transported by Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) helicopter to Aberdeen for skin graft surgery following the February incident.
Details of the Explosion and Immediate Response
"I knew immediately it was something to do with the battery, but things happened so fast," Gavin explained.
"There was a blast and a lot of heat, smoke and noise. I was running around in a panic, swearing, but didn't know whether to use water or an extinguisher on it.
"I ran to the door and the battery rolled to the ground, having burned through my pocket. I put some cold water on my thigh, but then the pain set in.
"The denim and the fabric of my boxer shorts had melted onto the wound, so I used a sharp knife to trim away the material and get a look at the wound. It was pretty sore and obviously needed medical attention."
Colleagues assisted by applying a burns gel pack to Gavin's leg and drove him to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.
Medical Treatment and Transfer
"I thought I would just get some cream and a telling off, but it turned out to be a lot more serious than that," Gavin said. "At Accident and Emergency, I sat down and basically collapsed - I was in extreme pain."
Medical staff rinsed the wound and removed pieces of melted fabric, revealing a finger-length injury along with extensive burning across the area where the battery had been in his pocket.
"They had me on painkillers pretty quickly, but I could see the severity of the wound as they worked on it," he added.
Once doctors assessed the burn's seriousness, they arranged for Gavin to receive specialist treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance was called for the approximately hour-long helicopter transfer.
Due to morphine administered for pain relief, Gavin slept much of the journey, waking as the helicopter approached Aberdeen.
"The crew were really reassuring - so professional yet so personal," he said. "I knew I was in safe hands.
"I can't imagine what getting to the mainland would have been like with any other form of transport," he continued. "They even shared their sweeties."
Recovery and Aftermath
Gavin underwent a skin graft operation. Although there was no muscle damage, he has been left with permanent scarring.
Inspired by the air ambulance's involvement, Gavin's nine-year-old son Caleb and a friend organized a 20-mile sponsored cycle, raising nearly £7,000 to support the charity.
