E-cigarette user suffers second-degree burn after device explodes

Andrew Hall, a vape user from Pocatello, Idaho, has lost seven of his teeth after the e-cigarette he used apparently exploded on his face. He also experienced a second-degree burn due to the explosion. Hall's sink broke after the explosion and scorch marks were left on the ceiling and wall. He was brought to the intensive care unit for the removal of foreign objects in his mouth.

While he was in his hospital bed, Hall posted on Facebook that he was getting ready for work when an unexpected incident happened to him. He said that he did not do anything to the vape but it has exploded in his face. He added that the shop always puts the device together every time he first bought it. He added that he followed the instructions he received when adding things and maintaining the vape.

He confirmed in his post that he was in the ICU but he was doing well. The doctors have removed chunks of plastic from his mouth, throat and lips. He also tried to sway other users to re-evaluate or find other methods of smoking. Vape is the new trend in smoking where users inhale the flavoured steam produced by the device. The graphic photos of Hall were posted on his Facebook and it was shared for more than 50,000 times.

Surgeons at Morriston Hospital’s Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery confirmed that numerous patients were treated in the hospital after the device exploded in their mouth. They suffered burns due to the vape's faulty batteries. Surgeons revealed that skin grafts and surgery were necessary for the most serious vape pen explosion cases.

Plastic surgeon Dai Nguyen at the Swansea-based unit said that users who experienced explosion in their mouth had catastrophic injuries similar to the effect when a person was shot in the face by a gun.