A 25-year-old was seriously injured in Düsseldorf by the explosion of an e-cigarette.
The device had caught fire in the man's pocket for a previously unclear cause.
Because of his burn injuries, the man had to be flown with a rescue helicopter to a special clinic in Cologne, the fire brigade said.
According to initial findings, there is no danger to life.
Since the helicopter could not land on site, the injured person had to first be taken to a nearby open area by ambulance.
The fire brigade was also on duty to support the rescue service.
Why the electronic cigarette exploded was initially unclear.
Damaged e-cigarettes have repeatedly caused serious accidents in the past.
In 2019, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment warned of another risk: swallowing fillers, the so-called liquids, could be life-threatening for children.
Icon: The mirror
fek / AFP