Since their time in Orlando, the Salyor family is looking to speak up against the use of ‘e-cigarettes’.
Melissa Saylor recalled the story of her family’s trip to Orlando, where her teenage daughter, Caroline, suffered first and second degree burns and injuries to her face, neck, arms and legs after an e-cigarette exploded while inside a cabin on the Hogwarts Express, which connects the Universal Studios amusement park with the Islands of Adventure.
“We went to enjoy the park,” Melissa said about the day of the accident. “There were eight of us in the cabin – five in our party and three younger boys.”
After taking a seat, Melissa noted that she heard of the boys saying that he felt something burning. Soon after, the e-cigarette exploded in the pocket of one of the individuals, affecting Caroline.
“It was a very scary moment,” she said. “It was a few minutes before we were able to get off the ride. The boys kept saying that ‘it wasn’t us’ and once the ride stopped, one of the boys grabbed the device and they each ran off.
“Caroline needed medical attention,” she continued. “She was then transported to the Arnold Palmer Hospital.”
At that time, the family thought it was the cell phone battery of one of the young males, but later learned from media outlets that the culprit was from the smoking device.
“My opinion is that they should be banned at parks,” Melissa Saylor said about the devices. “Nobody should have to go through something like. Before that, we didn’t know they could do something like that until we saw videos online.”
Melissa also provided an update on Caroline, who is making a smooth recovery.
“The doctors said there shouldn’t be any scarring,” Melissa said. “But it still worries us. Caroline says she is OK.”
The confusion of the e-cigarettes is common around the area, according to Allison Foster with the Carter County Health Department.
“In public health, we can them electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS),” Foster said. “Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco contain nicotine, but so do the ENS, even when companies say they don’t.”
Foster added that while smoking and smokeless tobacco rates in Carter County are dropping, she’s noticed an increase with individuals in Carter County using ENDS.
“There are other healthy alternatives that are actually safe and recognized by the FDA,” Foster said, adding different examples including nicotine gum.
Foster added that any individuals looking for more information on the devices can stop by the health department.
But with the scary situation over with, Melissa is hoping this story will help raise awareness on the devices. The story has appeared locally on television stations like WJHL and online to a national audience.
“Hopefully this will make people aware and prevent this from happening to anyone else,” Melissa said.