Battery thought to be cause of e-cigarette blast

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NICEVILLE, Fla., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A Niceville, Fla., man sustained severe injuries when his electronic cigarette exploded in his face, fire officials said.

Tom Holloway, a photographer and father of three, was smoking the e-cigarette when it exploded in his face, sending super hot debris that melted anything it touched across the room, WEAR-TV, Pensacola, Fla., reported Tuesday.

North Bay Fire District Chief Butch Parker said investigators think the battery was the cause for Monday's explosion "and whenever the battery ignited, it was basically like him holding a bottle rocket in his mouth."

A neighbor, Wendy Jensen, told WEAR-TV Holloway had lung trouble and had been smoking e-cigarettes for about two years.

"It exploded in his face, and it knocked out all his teeth and part of his tongue and he had blood all over his face, and it set the study on fire," Jensen said.

Firefighters said they couldn't identify the brand of the electronic cigarette and that it was the first time they knew of one exploding.