An exploding vape pen killed a Florida man at his home, causing injuries to his face and burns over 80 percent of his body, authorities said.
Tallmadge “Wake” D’Elia, 38, was found dead Saturday, May 5, on the second floor of his St. Petersburg home, CBS10 reported. Investigators say his vape pen exploded and caused a fire in the bedroom.
An autopsy report confirmed D’Elia died from his burns and from parts of the pen penetrating his skull when it exploded, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Although there was widespread fire damage in D’Elia’s bedroom, there was not much smoke.
Officials suspected soon after the fire that a vape explosion had caused D’Elia’s death.
FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration recently reported that vape and e-cigarette explosions are rare, but when they do happen, they behave like “flaming rockets,” ABC News reported.
In January 2017, an Idaho man lost some teeth and suffered second-degree burns when his vape pen exploded in his face. In 2016, a New York vape pen user suffered third-degree burns when the pen exploded in his pants.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not pinpointed the cause of vape pen explosions when they do occasionally happen, but thinks the issue could stem from the pens’ batteries.
The FDA recommends using pens with safety features and following safety recommendations for battery use, such as recommended type. Not leaving pens charging overnight and not using off-brand chargers also are recommended.
D’Elia was a television producer who freelanced in St. Petersburg after working for many years for CNBC, CBS10 reported.
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