E-Cigarette Explosion Causes Severe Facial Burns and Starts Bed Fire

On the 15th, officials from the Florida fire department reported that a man suffered severe facial burns and lost several front teeth and part of his tongue due to an explosion while "vaping."

Tom Holloway, 57, from Niceville, Florida, was vaping at home on the night of the 13th when a malfunction in the e-cigarette battery caused an explosion, igniting cushions, carpets, and office equipment in his home.

Joseph Parker, the fire department chief, said, "It's like trying to hold a bottle rocket in your mouth, and it goes off."

Investigators are still unclear about the brand, battery type, and usage duration of the "offending" e-cigarette. They found a charging device in the room. Parker speculated that Holloway might have been using a rechargeable lithium battery.

Parker stated that he had never heard of a similar incident before.

Thomas Kiklas, co-founder of an e-cigarette association, said that 2.5 million Americans used e-cigarettes last year, and "we had never heard of such an incident before."

E-cigarettes resemble traditional cigarettes, with a tube containing a battery, nicotine solution cartridge, and atomizer. When used, the nicotine-diluted solution is atomized and enters the body.