Texas Man Dies After E Cigarette Explodes in His Face Paris man injured after e cigarette explodes Hot on the trail of a scourge Rochester BeaconRochester Beacon Why Batteries in E Cigarettes Can Explode Martin & Helms, P.C. Incredible Vaping has now been officially linked to a rare and permanent lung disease. Doctors and researchers say the chemicals in e cigarette vapor can damage the tiny airways in your lungs. In 2018, William Eric Brown, a 38 year old American man in Florida, died when his electronic cigarette (vape) exploded, becoming the first documented case in the United States of death from this type