32-year-old Mom’s Car Erupts in Flames After Vape Explodes in Her Lap While Driving

An Alabama mother, Suzanne Manus, suffered horrific burns when her vape device exploded unexpectedly, engulfing her and her car in flames. The 32-year-old from Ozark described the November incident as feeling like she had been “attacked by a zombie,” leaving her with extensive injuries and emotional trauma.

Suzanne was driving home after a shopping trip when her rechargeable vape, resting between her thighs, suddenly exploded. Her Nissan Rogue Sport turned into a “fireball,” and her legs caught fire. Her husband, Bobby Manus, was on the phone with her at the time and heard the explosion followed by her screams.

“He heard the ‘boom’ of the explosion and me screaming and saying I was on fire, and then everything went quiet. He thought I was dead for about 45 seconds,” Suzanne recalled. In a panic, Suzanne pulled over on the highway, jumped out of her car, and removed her burning trousers. She waited for an ambulance as her vehicle was consumed by flames.

“I looked down and saw I was on fire, and in that moment, I thought I was going to die,” she said. Suzanne was rushed to Flowers Hospital in Dothan before being airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. Doctors revealed she had suffered extensive burns on her inner thighs, private areas, and buttocks. She underwent two surgeries, including a skin graft, to treat her injuries.

“For the first couple of days, it felt like I was still on fire,” she said. “I was really close to losing my leg.” The stay-at-home mom spent a month in the hospital recovering. While her physical wounds are healing, she continues to struggle with the emotional aftermath. “The physical pain was agonizing, but the mental and emotional effects have been much worse,” she admitted.

Suzanne, who once considered herself an “avid” vaper, has sworn off vaping and urges others to quit as well. “I would like to tell people not to vape. This could have been my fate. I could not be here if I had got stuck in my car,” she warned.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Suzanne with her recovery and financial burdens. Reflecting on the incident, she said, “I always made sure the batteries from my vape were not peeling or old. I bought new batteries every two to four months. But they do blow, and this does happen. It can really change your life forever.”