Texas man dies after e-cigarette explodes in his face

By Ben Kesslen NBCNews

William Eric Brown is the second person to die from an exploding e-cigarette in the U.S.

William Eric Brown died after an electronic 
cigarette exploded and cut his artery on Jan. 29, 2019.
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

A Texas man died after his e-cigarette exploded and cut a major artery in his neck, according to a medical examiner's report.

William Eric Brown, 24, went to his local vaping store, Smoke & Vape DZ in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 29 and never returned, his grandmother, Alice Brown, told NBC DFW.

“He said, ‘I’ll be right back granny.’”

The vape pen exploded while Brown, a licensed electrician, was in his car, parked outside the store. Brown never entered the vape store, according to an employee of Smoke & Vape DZ who declined further comment to NBC DFW.

The e-cigarette explosion was so strong that it melted the ashtray in Brown’s car, his grandmother said.

The Tarrant County Medical examiner’s report said Brown died of a “cerebral infarction and herniation” after the vape pen cut open the left artery in his neck.

According to his grandmother, doctors performed an X-ray when Brown was brought to hospital and found a metal piece of the vape pen lodged in the back of his neck.