As vaping and vape pens gain more traction and popularity among young adults, it’s important to understand the grave dangers they present to individuals—aside from the intake of smoke and vapor. Recently, a 24-year-old man from Texas died after a vape pen exploded in his face.
William Brown from Fort Worth, Texas was using a vape pen when it exploded in his face. The explosion then, according to medical professionals, severed his left carotid artery and caused a “cerebral infarction.” Two days after the explosion, Brown died at a Fort Worth hospital.
Brown’s grandmother, Alice Brown, told Star-Telegram that her grandson suffered from asthma and a friend had suggested he use a vape to “help him breathe better.” He was in a vape store when the pen he was using exploded in his face. He was taken to the hospital, but, doctors told Alice Brown that her grandson had suffered a stroke and a brain bleed on the way to the hospital from the explosion.
Brown was an electrician who enjoyed fixing up used cars. He was previously working on repairing an old Mazda RX8.
His grandmother said:
“His friends are getting together to fix the car for him. It just all seems so unreal. He was running around doing his thing at 24 and now he’s gone.”
According to officials, this is not the first case of a vape pen explosion and it’s not uncommon for this to occur. The Federal Emergency Management Agency claims that between 2009 and 2016, there were 195 incidents of fires and explosions due to e-cigarettes and vape pens.