An autopsy report revealed that a Florida man was killed by an electronic cigarette earlier this month after the device blew up in his face. On May 5, Tallmadge D’Elia was found dead with severe skull damage after parts of the exploding e-cig penetrated his head.
The man’s body was found in his home in St. Petersburg, Fla., according to the police. Doctors reported that his skin was burned about 80%. The autopsy found burn marks on his arm, hand, chest, shoulder, and belly. Medics ruled the death an accident.
His parents are in a state of “terrible shock,” as the 38-year-old was too young to die. The grieving father thinks that no one who had lost a child to an exploding e-cigarette would want anybody else to see their child die in a similar way.
The First American to Die in Such an Accident
The victim’s parents described him as a talented and smart man. Tallmadge had been reportedly barred to vape inside his family’s home as his dad didn’t like the “odor” of the electronic cigarette he was using. On the day of his death, the man vaped inside the home as his parents were out.
The U.S. Fire Administration said that exploding e-cigarettes are not very common. However, some e-cigs design and construction can turn them into “flaming rockets” when the battery gets too old.
A report from the agency analyzing explosions and fires started by electronic cigarettes show that Tallmadge is the first U.S. resident to die in such an incident.
FEMA found that 80% of vape pen explosions occur while the device is charging. In many cases, the explosion was caused by an alternative charger. Between 2012 and 2015, there were two dozen cases where the devices exploded or caught fire during charging. Eight other devices exploded out of the blue in people’s hands or pockets.
Image Source: Pixabay
