Seven-year-old girl loses her eye after 'vape battery acid explodes'

The child was passing a bonfire on her housing estate when battery acid from a vape pen struck her right eye.

Ruby's mother, Ciara Grainger, 32, told the Irish Mirror: "All I hear is screaming, she was hysterical, when she got to the house I could have collapsed. The blood was rushing all down her face, I put her to my chest and rang the ambulance, I was frantic."

The seven-year-old was rushed to Tallaght Hospital by ambulance and later transferred to the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital.

Doctors performed emergency surgery on October 5, during which they had to remove her eye.

Her mum explained: "Doctors said that this is the first case of this kind of damage from a fire, they have seen explosions but to lose her whole eye, the socket, everything."

The severity of the damage led medical professionals to believe it was caused by battery acid.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Vaping 'to be banned outside schools and hospitals' in move backed by Chris Whitty
• ‘Why is this the priority?’ Powell challenged over smoking ban amid fears it will KILL pubs
• Smoking 'to be BANNED in pub gardens and outside football stadiums'

The 32-year-old added: "The eyeball was like mashed potato."

After the accident, a family member found remnants of burnt-out vapes near the bonfire site, confirming their suspicions about the source of the explosion.

Doctors hope to fit her with a prosthetic eye in six weeks, provided her eye socket heals well.

The accident has left Ruby facing significant life changes. Ciara explained: "Ruby will also never be able to go to play like she used to, Ruby also has to learn to balance again due to having a blind side, and the biggest one is Ruby is no longer able to see out of her right eye."

The family is now considering relocating Ruby to a specialised school for visually impaired children. A fundraiser has also been launched to support Ruby's recovery and help with the costs associated with her new needs.

Ruby's mother expressed her disbelief at the situation, telling the Irish Mirror: "I do not think it has properly hit me that the child has no eye now. For a split second her whole life changed, and mine too, when she lost her eye I lost mine."

The family's fundraiser aims to support Ruby's recovery and adaptation to her new circumstances.

So far, over €4,000 (£3,333) has been raised to help the young girl in her recovery journey.