[hermantheshocker]

2018 - St. Petersburg, Florida, US. A 38-year-old man was found dead and with burns to 80% of his body inside of his residence. The decedent was found lying on the bedroom floor, with flames partially covering the room. After firefighters removed him from his residence, he was pronounced dead in the front yard. The decedent had burns covering a large portion of his body, and a wound was present to his face. Postmortem radiographs revealed the electronic cigarette device was found within the cranium.


Fig.1 Autopsy photograph showing facial wound from electronic cigarette explosion.

Postmortem examination revealed that the cause of death was due to a traumatic brain injury from the electronic cigarette device exploding. The explosion caused the electronic cigarette, including the mouthpiece and battery housing, to be propelled upward, creating an entrance wound right of the anterior midline in the philtrum region of the upper lip. The entrance wound was irregularly shaped. From the entrance, the two portions of the projectile continued to perforate the full thickness of the maxillary bone, the nasal cavity, nasal septum, nasal concha, ethmoid bone, ethmoid air cells, sphenoid bone, the meninges of the floor of the central portion of the posterior aspect of the anterior cranial fossa of the skull, and the cerebral hemispheres of the brain including the frontal lobes, limbic lobes, the anterior aspects of the basal ganglia, the anterior aspect of the corpus callosum, and the left parietal lobe of the brain.

The mouthpiece and larger portion of the projectile traveled roughly 19 cm and 16 cm within the head, respectively. The mouthpiece came to rest within the subdural space overlying the superior-medial aspect of the left parietal lobe of the brain and the larger portion came to rest in the nasal cavity, ethmoid bone, ethmoid air cells, and sphenoid bone.


Fig.2 Autopsy photograph showing final resting place of the battery housing of the electronic cigarette device.

A complete autopsy was performed and confirmed death caused by a projectile wound to the head from the explosion of a modified electronic cigarette device. There were no significant anatomical findings discovered in the decedent’s organs within the trunk. The burns covering 80% of the decedents body were confirmed to be postmortem and did not contribute to the cause of death. There was no evidence of soot in the airways, and the carboxyhemoglobin screen was negative. The toxicology report showed evidence of amphetamines, opiates, and tramadol in the decedents system, none of which contributed to cause of death. This information confirms cause of death from projectile wound to the head from the explosion of the modified electronic cigarette device.


Fig.3 X-ray taken at Medical Examiner’s Office showing electronic cigarette mouthpiece and battery housing within decedents head.

The autopsy findings were similar to large caliber gunshot wounds. The explosion of the lithium-ion battery due to thermal runaway drove the electronic cigarette device into the decedent’s cranium. Thermal runaway is a process that occurs when lithium-ion batteries undergo a rapid exothermic breakdown, releasing a substantial amount of energy. Looking at the design of the device, when this amount of energy is produced inside the battery housing, it can only escape down past the switch, generating a large amount of force and forming a deadly projectile.

The electronic cigarette device used by the decedent is known as a “mechanical mod.” Mechanical mod electronic cigarette devices are sold with no internal workings, requiring the users to install their own coils and batteries. The simple circuits in these devices operate via lithium-ion battery, supplying the current that heats the coils, which are coiled wire that acts as a heating element to vaporize the juice within the atomizer.


Fig.4 Typical circuitry of mechanical mod electronic cigarette devices.

While this circuit is simple, there are numerous factors that are in play that can lend to its danger. A fatal mistake in creating this circuitry is using incorrectly sized coils that have lower resistance and require more power. An incorrect lithium-ion battery in these conditions can very well overheat when drawn, resulting in exothermic breakdown of cells within the battery causing thermal runaway and ignition.

Additionally, the heat released from lithium-ion battery combustion can cause serious burns. It’s found that in e-cigarette burn cases, the majority of injuries are due to contact with flame, resulting in a mix of partial and full thickness burns. In this particular case, the burns sustained were extensive but postmortem and did not contribute to death. It has been estimated that between 2015 and 2017, over 2000 injuries related to electronic cigarettes presented to US emergency rooms.

Lithium-ion batteries when used in modified electronic cigarette devices are subject to strain that increases the risk of thermal runaway, explosion, and lethal trauma. Users should be made aware of the potential dangers associated with using these devices.


Fig.5 38-year-old former CNBC television producer was discovered dead in his home by local fighters.

One recent incident may cause vape lovers to think twice about their favorite hobby after a Florida man was killed by exploding vape pen, becoming the first e-cigarette death in U.S. history. According to a government report, 38-year-old T.W.D, a former CNBC television producer, was discovered in his home by local fighters, after neighbors reported seeing smoke and flames protrude from a window, according to local news station WTSP.
High Times

Fig.6 Neighbors reported seeing smoke and flames protrude from a window, according to local news.

A 38-year-old Florida man is dead after his vape pen exploded causing a massive fire in his home. T.W.D died in a fire in an upstairs bedroom in his St. Petersburg, Florida, home on May 5, according to ABC Action News. T.W.D. was hit by part of the vape pen that struck him with such force the projectile penetrated his skull and brain, according to the autopsy report confirmed to the news outlet.
People

Fig.7 The man was a talented photographer and videographer, which later became his life’s work.

The Pinellas County Medical Examiner is going through several steps to find out if a vape pen could have caused a St. Petersburg man's death. St. Pete fire investigators saying the vape pen may have caused a fire which killed T.W.D.

C.D. says he'll remember his son as talented and bright. T.W.D. worked as an accomplished technical supervisor at CNBC’s headquarters in New Jersey. “He was so smart, so talented," his dad explained, fighting emotions.

T.W.D. moved to Florida to start a new life. “It's just so sad. He loved his job. He loved being in the control room, it was very taxing work though," C.D. added.
ABC Action News

Fig.8 The device was said to be a Smok-E Mountain vape.

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This post is for educational purposes only and is nonprofit. Under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. OP is not a medical expert. No copyright infringement intended. This post does not encourage or glorify violence/harassment. Images might have been upscaled and enhanced. Text might have been shortened and simplified/reorganized for online view.

[dogleg818]

Wow that'll blow your mind!

[chris]

Holy shit. I better keep an eye on my vape.

[Awake47]

Wow

[Lee]

This is why you don't mess with unregulated mechanical mods.

[v1r]

I'll stick to my nasty cigarettes that is killing me slowly thank you.

[Sebring]

Poor guy, that's awful.

Still not giving my Air Bar up.

[Svetchkan131]

Originally Posted by chris ↗

Holy shit. I better keep an eye on my vape.

I don't think an eyeball offers much protection from this sort of accident, maybe if you blink in time though I'm not too sure

[icehole]

damn, mecha is brutal

[normdiaz]

Solar watches use a capacitor rechargeable from any light source. Manufacturers caution that inserting an ordinary watch battery in its place will lead to the battery exploding.