Man In Coma After E Cigarette Exploded In His Face While Vaping

NAPLES, FLORIDA — Evan Spahlinger, is in a coma after an electronic cigarette that he was puffing on blew up in his face. 

The twenty-one-year-old was in his bedroom of his family’s Naples, Florida home at the time of the accident. His sister was in another room with her son when she heard an explosion followed by a strong smell of smoke. She found her brother on the floor, his face and neck covered in soot. She said he looked like he might have been gasping for air. 

The North Collier Fire & Rescue believe the explosion was likely caused by the lithium-ion battery which powers the e-cig. Doctors at NCH Downtown Naples Hospital said the explosion shot the mouthpiece down his throat where it may have exploded again. 

Spahlinger was taken to NCH Downtown Naples Hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma to help cope with the pain. He was flown to a Miami hospital on Tuesday for cosmetic surgery. He told his sister he will never smoke e-cigarettes again. 

The US Fire Administration say there are more than more than 2.5 million e-cigarette users. Between 2009 and 2014 there were 25 incidents where an e-cigarette exploded, most of which occurred while the device was charging.

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