Chemical Burns Add Damage Possible Through an Electronic Cigarette Explosion

If you have been near an electronic cigarette explosion, you know how terrifying the event can be.

E-cigarettes known as vape pens or Advanced Personal Vaporizers (APVs) are powered by lithium ion batteries that can explode.

The batteries that heat an aerosol cartridge that releases vapor as the user inhales. E-cigarettes have become popular because of the variety of flavors and the choices of nicotine levels.

When the e-cigarette batteries malfunction or overheat, there can be an electronic cigarette explosion with no warning.

E-cigarette Batteries Suddenly Explode Without Warning

Stories of exploding devices surface daily.

A patron at a movie theater in Mesa, Arizona experienced an electronic cigarette explosion while the device was in his pocket in early February.

Theater attendees who saw the flash and heard the explosion initially feared a gunman was firing. Panicked theater goers fled the smoke-filled room and were given free passes to attend another movie at a later date.

A 14-year-old girl was burned while riding on the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios in Orlando when a nearby college student’s e-cigarette exploded.

The device was in the college student’s pocket when it exploded and sent a ball of flame into the air. The girl was taken to a hospital and treated for mild to moderate burns.

The train seat was left with a small burn hole in it, but no other damage to the ride was reported. The college student left the park before he could be questioned about the electronic cigarette explosion.

A man outside a nightclub in Toulouse, France suffered second-degree burns when his e-cigarette exploded in his pocket, engulfing him in sparks and flames for several seconds. The electronic cigarette explosion, captured on video, resembles a firework going off in the man’s pocket.

Dangers of an Electronic Cigarette Explosion

Lithium ion batters contain hydrofluoric acid that causes damaging chemical burns to exposed skin. Such burns are dangerous because the damage takes a while to be seen, but delayed treatment can make the burns worsen.

Many victims of electronic cigarette explosions experience third degree burns because chemical thermal burns continue to damage the skin even after the initial flame has been extinguished.

Cold water, not ice, is recommended to decrease the temperature. A 2.5 percent calcium gluconate gel added to water can help counteract the hydrofluoric acid.

Any burn from an electronic cigarette explosion should be covered with a clean cloth to prevent infection and medical attention should be sought immediately.

Causes of an Electronic Cigarette Explosion

E-cigarettes run on small lithium-ion batteries that are sensitive to extreme temperature changes. They must be kept between 50 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. If exposed to temperatures above or below that recommendation, malfunctions can occur.

Vaping is not a regulated industry, and as such, it lacks manufacturing standards and testing programs. Cheap batteries and cheap chargers can increase the risk of malfunctioning.

A well-made lithium-ion battery has a miniscule risk of failure because of safety mechanisms built from within. Cheaper batteries do not include these precautionary protections.

Poorly made chargers can increase the risk of e-cigarette batteries exploding as well. Not all chargers are universal in quality.

If you have been injured by an electronic cigarette explosion, you could benefit from a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers.