“There have been a lot of stories about lithium-ion batteries exploding and causing fires and some of them have mentioned that vapes can do the same thing. Can vapes really explode and, if so, how likely is it to happen?”
In recent years we’ve seen an increasing number of reports of explosions and fires caused by lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. In Australia, these have most often been linked to e-scooters, but they’ve also been reported in other devices such as smartphones, laptops and, of course, e-cigarettes or vapes. Vapes can certainly overheat and explode and it only takes a couple of minutes to type in ‘exploding vapes’ into a YouTube search and you’ll be able to see actual examples of where things went terribly wrong …
In a 2018 review that examined this issue, the authors provided examples of some of these incidents, including the following:
“On February 13, 2016, Dan Walker, a 20-year-old from Staffordshire, U.K., had an e-cigarette battery explode in his trousers. He was treated for second and third degree burns on his thigh. The battery exploded in the pocket of his jogging trousers when he was out shopping with his friends. He reacted quickly and pulled down his trousers to escape from the flames. The damage required skin grafting surgeries leaving Mr. Walker traumatised for life.”
As well as burns, these explosions have resulted in a range of other serious injuries to the hands, face, eyes and mouth. People have lost teeth, damaged their tongue and lips, as well as broken bones in their neck. One case study reported a young man losing one of his fingers after the device blew up in his hand. Sadly, the first-ever death from a vape explosion was reported in 2018 and was due to shrapnel from the shattered device entering the person’s brain.
Many of these explosions involved a refillable vape and occurred while the device was being charged, particularly if it was left overnight. That isn’t always the case, however, with some vapes simply spontaneously exploding.
Although the cause is not yet fully understood, experts believe that it’s the overheating of the L-ion battery (also known as ‘thermal runaway’) that leads to this problem. These rechargeable batteries are now widely used due to their power performance and long cycle of life, but it’s well known that they can be a safety hazard if strict testing procedures aren’t followed during the manufacturing process and, even then, things can still go wrong.
When they’re used in vapes, particularly the cheaper, mass-produced disposable devices, recent studies have found that there may be a far greater risk due to poor manufacturing quality. Defective, substandard, degraded and even damaged batteries may be used due to their lower cost, putting potential users at risk. In a 2023 study, researchers found that when they intentionally damaged a disposable vape battery, a large amount of smoke was released and the cell reached a temperature of almost 500°C, with the exterior of the device reaching 270°C. That’s enough to cause serious burns or ignite a fire. Researchers speculated that devices may be sold this way to “evade safety standards required for recharging.”
There’s a wealth of evidence to confirm that vapes can and do explode and it’s likely due to the lithium-ion battery contained in the device. It’s important to note, however, that this is rare. It doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen. Studies have found that if these batteries are manufactured, stored and operated as recommended, their failure rate is estimated to be 1 in 40 million! However, that doesn’t always seem to be the case with studies finding that defective, substandard L-ion batteries appear to be being used in some cases.
It’s important for those who do vape to avoid keeping these devices next to their skin or in their pockets. Are they likely to overheat and explode? No, but to avoid potential burns and other injuries, it’s best to put them away when they’re not being used and try not to keep them on your person, just in case.
First published: February 2025
