Florida man dies from exploding electronic cigarette: Autopsy
- By EMILY SHAPIRO
May 15, 2018, 3:46 PM ET
An exploding electronic cigarette caused the death of a Florida man earlier this month, an autopsy determined.
Tallmadge D'Elia, 38, died on May 5 from parts of an electronic cigarette that penetrated his head, according to the autopsy report.
His body was found inside a St. Petersburg home that was on fire, the St. Petersburg police said.
D'Elia had suffered thermal injuries to about 80 percent of his body, including his chest, shoulder, abdomen, back, arm and hand, according to the autopsy report.
The death was ruled accidental, the autopsy report said.
A U.S. Fire Administration report that examined incidents from 2009 to 2016 said fires or explosions from e-cigarette batteries were not common; however, the shape and construction of e-cigarettes can make them act like "flaming rockets" when the battery dies.
The report said no one had died from e-cigarette fires or explosions in the U.S. at the time the report was completed.
ABC News' Dominick Proto contributed to this report.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/florida-ma...ry?id=55181750