Florida man dies after e-cigarette explodes

An exploding electronic cigarette is being blamed for the death of a man in the United States.

Tallmadge Wakeman D'Elia was found dead inside his Florida home earlier this month after a fire alarm alerted the authorities.

An autopsy has now determined the 38-year-old was killed when his vaping device created a "projectile wound" in his head, penetrating his skull and brain.

He suffered thermal injuries to about 80 percent of his body, including his chest, shoulder, abdomen, back, arm and hand.

While such incidents are rare and the death has been ruled accidental, it isn't the first time a spontaneous e-cigarette explosion has raised concerns.

In 2016, a vaping device blew up in a man’s face in New York - knocking out his teeth, ripping a hole in his tongue and leaving his hands covered in burns.

A similar issue happened a year later in Idaho with a father losing nine teeth and suffering second-degree burns after a vape pen exploded in his mouth.

These cases were not fatal.