Zoe Williams experienced a startling incident when her handbag spontaneously caught fire outside a bar, caused by a spare vaping battery short-circuiting against metal keys. The event, which melted her keyring holding a plastic portrait of her nieces, was quickly diagnosed by a chemistry teacher friend who explained the science behind the mishap.
The Fiery Discovery
Sitting outside a bar, Williams noticed a flame and smell emanating from her bag. Initially dismissing it as a mirage, she was alerted by a friend who said, 'Your bag's on fire.' The chemistry teacher friend then walked her through the sequence: a lithium battery connected to metal keys creates a closed circuit, generating heat and fire.
Safety and Aftermath
After extinguishing the fire, opinions conflicted on handling the lithium battery—one person advised water, another warned against it. The chemistry teacher clarified the correct approach. Williams' niece, an engineering student, noted the silver lining: in survival scenarios, the ability to generate heat from a battery and keys would make her invaluable, outperforming those with magnifying glasses or sticks.
Williams concludes with a nod to STEM expertise and her vaping hobby, despite the risks.
