BOULDER CITY, NV (KSNV/CNN) - A woman is recovering from burns she suffered after a battery exploded in her purse on Tuesday evening during a city council meeting.
The explosion and fire was caught on camera.
"We hear this awful noise. It sounded like a bookshelf or picture falling off the wall," said Roger Hall of Boulder City Parks and Recreation, who was one of the first who rushed to help.
"She was kind of in shock because it happened so fast," he said. "She was on fire, her purse was on fire. Kind of a crazy scene."
Scorch marks in the carpet show where the battery from Tuesday night was dropped in the hallway as the woman made her way outside of city hall.
Boulder City Fire Chief Kevin Nicholson said the woman was burned on her leg, treated at the scene and sent home.
"I believe it was a battery malfunction that ignited the contents of her purse," he said.
While Nicholson said he knows it was not a cell phone that burst into flames, he can't say for sure what kind of battery was involved.
"Make sure if you have a device and you have a battery, make sure you take the time to read your manual and follow the manufacturer's suggestions for care and maintenance," he said.
This is far from the first time an accident like this has happened.
In April, Scott Hildreth, who was traveling through McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, suffered third-degree burns when a battery for his e-cigarette caught fire in his pants pocket.
"Tried to rid myself of anything, I mean, my clothes were on fire," he said.
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