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 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. Why Batteries in E Cigarettes Can Explode Martin & Helms, P.C. Texas Man Dies After E Cigarette Explodes in His Face