@mrentropy Here’s a New York Times article about the phenomenon and the lawsuits against Bic.
Mr. Geremia, who has been involved in about 30 cases against Bic, testified that the Bic lighter, unlike other disposable lighters, had no mechanism to prevent debris from entering the valve.
In examining the inside of the lighter that burned Ms. Littlejohn, Mr. Geremia said, he found gouge marks ’‘indicating abrasion or interference in the jet going up and down.’’ Pieces of the flint, he said, had come in through the valve and slipped down the side of the jet.