By . Associated Press . A New York hospital is banning electronic cigarettes after a patient on oxygen was burned by a fire that erupted while she was puffing on one of the devices. Syracuse Fire Department investigator Joe Galloway tells The Post-Standard the exact cause of last month's fire at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has not yet been determined. But he says the patient had a battery-powered e-cigarette, which uses a heating element to vaporize nicotine. Banned: A Syracuse hospital is banning electronic cigarettes after a female patient on oxygen was burned by a fire that erupted while she was puffing on one of the devices . The patient had an e-cigarette in her mouth and was using oxygen when the fire started. Brandon . Leonard, a St. Joe's patient safety representative, was in the . patient's first-floor room helping her roommate when he heard a loud pop . and saw flames through a privacy curtain separating the patients' beds. He . saw flames around the patient's nose and fire shooting out of the end . of a hose connected to an oxygen outlet in the wall. The flames were put . out in less than a minute. Oxygen itself is not flammable. But medical oxygen increases oxygen levels of normal air, making it easier for fires to ignite. Stubbed out: St. Joseph's officials have told patients e-cigarette use is not allowed. The hospital also prohibits tobacco use inside its buildings or outdoors on its campus . Jennie . DeLee, a registered nurse at St. Joe's, heard yelling and went into the . room where the fire occurred. 'The patient was standing at the side of . the bed,' she told Syracuse.com 'I just saw black soot and charred skin. She was in shock.' Hospital officials said the quick response of . staff prevented what could have been a catastrophe and more serious . injury to the patient. Hospital officials have not identified the patient. They say she suffered first- and second-degree burns across her face, but is home and doing well. Since the fire, St. Joseph's officials have told patients they aren't allowed to use e-cigarettes. The hospital also prohibits tobacco use on its campus. The fire investigation at St. Joe's comes at a time when there is growing concern nationally about the safety of e-cigarettes which are not regulated by the government and have been linked to poisonings and fires. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration  has received at least four reports of e-cigarettes causing fires. There is no government regulation of e-cigarettes. The FDA is expected to issue proposed rules governing e-cigarettes soon.
Patients at Syracuse hospital have been asked not to use electronic cigarettes after a patient on oxygen caught fire .
It's believed the e-cigarette sparked the fire .
By . Associated Press . A New York hospital is banning electronic cigarettes after a patient on oxygen was burned by a fire that erupted while she was puffing on one of the devices. Syracuse Fire Department investigator Joe Galloway tells The Post-Standard the exact cause of last month's fire at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has not yet been determined. But he says the patient had a battery-powered e-cigarette, which uses a heating element to vaporize nicotine. Banned: A Syracuse hospital is banning electronic cigarettes after a female patient on oxygen was burned by a fire that erupted while she was puffing on one of the devices . The patient had an e-cigarette in her mouth and was using oxygen when the fire started. Brandon . Leonard, a St. Joe's patient safety representative, was in the . patient's first-floor room helping her roommate when he heard a loud pop . and saw flames through a privacy curtain separating the patients' beds. He . saw flames around the patient's nose and fire shooting out of the end . of a hose connected to an oxygen outlet in the wall. The flames were put . out in less than a minute. Oxygen itself is not flammable. But medical oxygen increases oxygen levels of normal air, making it easier for fires to ignite. Stubbed out: St. Joseph's officials have told patients e-cigarette use is not allowed. The hospital also prohibits tobacco use inside its buildings or outdoors on its campus . Jennie . DeLee, a registered nurse at St. Joe's, heard yelling and went into the . room where the fire occurred. 'The patient was standing at the side of . the bed,' she told Syracuse.com 'I just saw black soot and charred skin. She was in shock.' Hospital officials said the quick response of . staff prevented what could have been a catastrophe and more serious . injury to the patient. Hospital officials have not identified the patient. They say she suffered first- and second-degree burns across her face, but is home and doing well. Since the fire, St. Joseph's officials have told patients they aren't allowed to use e-cigarettes. The hospital also prohibits tobacco use on its campus. The fire investigation at St. Joe's comes at a time when there is growing concern nationally about the safety of e-cigarettes which are not regulated by the government and have been linked to poisonings and fires. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration  has received at least four reports of e-cigarettes causing fires. There is no government regulation of e-cigarettes. The FDA is expected to issue proposed rules governing e-cigarettes soon.
banning electronic cigarettes after a patient on Syracuse hospital is banning electronic cigarettes after a female patient on oxygen was government and have been linked to poisonings and