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E-cigarette explodes 'like a bomb' in man's mouth mid-vape

Gruesome photos show a man who lost teeth, split his tongue and feared he would burn alive after his e-cigarette exploded in his mouth.

Kenneth Barbero from Albany, New York, was having a vape at home when his device exploded in his mouth.

Kenneth Berbero said it was like a bomb going off in his mouth. Source: ABC News 10
Kenneth Berbero said it was like a bomb going off in his mouth. Source: ABC News 10

The blast knocked him to the ground and left him momentarily paralysed, ABC News 10 reports.

The man, who said he usually vapes socially, said it was "like a M80 bomb went off in my mouth".

Mr Barbero lost teeth, split and burned his tongue. Source: ABC News 10
Mr Barbero lost teeth, split and burned his tongue. Source: ABC News 10


"When I hit the button, I saw a huge yellow light. The next thing I know, I'm on the floor and my arms are paralysed," he told the station.

For a moment Mr Barbero thought he was going to die from his burns, alone in his home. His mother believes it was the e-cigarette battery that exploded.

The incident has sworn Mr Barbero off his hobby because: "When it blows up in your face, you're not having a good time," he said.

According to e-cigarette news site IEC, more than 80 per cent of e-cigarettes explosions reported occurred while charging, indicating the issues could be attributed to faulty manufacturing or the lithium batteries.

The number of users injured while using the devices remains small but their injuries are usually severe.

News break – May 20