“We heard this loud explosion. I initially thought that someone had kicked our door in. The actual battery that exploded out of the [massage] gun had shot across the room,” Tiffany Skillings says.
The popularity of massage guns has risen in recent years as consumers seek out ways to ease body tension. But, some experts say these seemingly harmless devices can be potentially dangerous if not charged properly.
Although a rare occurrence, experts say some massage guns can become a serious fire hazard if their lithium-ion batteries overheat.
Tiffany Skillings says her husband, Jameson, bought her an Evertone massage gun to help her relax after her triathlons.
“I loved it. It was an essential tool in my recovery for those sore muscles, aches and pains,” Tiffany tells Inside Edition.
But six months after she started using it, Tiffany and Jameson woke up to a terrifying noise as the massage gun was charging.
“We heard this loud explosion. I initially thought that someone had kicked our door in. The actual battery that exploded out of the gun had shot across the room,” Tiffany says.
Jameson says he was there to put out the flames.
“I grabbed my glass of water, and I doused it as best as I could and started stamping it out,” Jameson says.
He says the lithium embers landed on him and burned his arm.
The couple is not alone. Several posts on social media show people claiming their message guns burst into flames while being charged.
In a demonstration, Fire Marshal Brian Schock and the Wallingford Connecticut Fire Department showed Inside Edition how a fire can potentially break out after he and his team deliberately overcharged the lithium-ion battery in a massage gun resting on an upholstered chair.
“This is why we should always remember not to charge our appliances on sofa chairs, bedding. It should always be charged on a non-combustible surface,” Schock says.
Another piece of advice from Fire Marshal Schock: he says you should always read your massage gun's instructions and always charge your device according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
