Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Exploding vape kills man after burning 80% of his body

Blast sent two pieces of e-cigarette into victim's skull

Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 16 May 2018 12:10 EDT
Comments
Report lists cause of death as 'projectile wound of the head'
Report lists cause of death as 'projectile wound of the head' (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A 38-year-old man was killed when a vape he was smoking at his home exploded, an autopsy report has revealed.

The explosion sent two pieces of the e-cigarette into Tallmadge D'Elia's skull.

The report lists the cause of death as "projectile wound to the head."

Mr D'Elia also suffered burns on about 80 per cent of his body.

E-cigarettes becoming long-term lifestyle choice due to ‘edgy’ marketing

The report confirmed the vape was responsible for his death on 5 May in St Petersburg, Florida.

The death was ruled an accident.

Firefighters found Mr D'Elia inside his burning home, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

The vape was manufactured by Smok-E Mountain.

The Food and Drug Administration says it was not clear what caused some vapes to explode, but it could stem from battery-related issues.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in