Lake Elsinore Motorcyclist Catches Fire In Heated Jacket Malfunction

LAKE ELSINORE, CA—A Lake Elsinore resident feels lucky he's still alive this week after his heated jacket caught fire Wednesday night.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Michael Katsuda was riding his street bike from Oceanside to Lake Elsinore when his heated hoodie ignited in flames, he told Patch. It was around 40 degrees near the 76 and I-15 freeways at the time of the incident, when he felt the burning on his back.

"I was riding the freeway like a human 'Ghost Rider' back aflame," he said.

Witnesses called Cal Fire/San Diego Firefighters and California Highway Patrol Officers to assist and provide treatment, though Katsuda declined a ride to the hospital and went to Inland Valley Hospital's emergency room as soon as he could get there. There, he was treated for second-degree burns, remnants from the charred T-shirt debrided from his back, and given a tetanus shot, he said.

Katsuda said he somehow managed to pull over to the side of the road and then ripped the flaming jacket and shirt off his back.

Underneath the offending jacket, he wore a T-shirt from his tattoo artist, another favorite hoodie to combat the cold night and a backpack over the coat. During the incident, he shredded both to remove the burning clothing over his helmet, he said.

"I could only imagine what would’ve happened if it happened to somebody else who didn’t have the strength that I had to rip through a hooded sweatshirt and a jacket simultaneously," he said.

Although he does not typically ride his motorcycle in such cold weather or on the freeway, he told us he had no choice this week. His truck had broken down, and the street bike was his only means of transportation. The warming jacket seemed a good choice for the ride. "I've had the heated jacket with a rechargeable electric pack for about a year and used it many times."

Katsuda says they have filed a product complaint with Amazon and are waiting to hear back, adding, "I'm just grateful I could put the fire out before it ignited another wildfire."