ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Pinellas County's Medical Examiner confirms a vape pen explosion is to blame for the death of a 38-year-old St. Petersburg man. 
 
 Bill Pellan, Director of Investigations at the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the report to ABC Action News on Tuesday. 
 
 Tallmadge Wakeman D'Elia, who went by "Wake," died in a fire in an upstairs bedroom of a home located at 316 19th Avenue NE. 
 
 The autopsy report says the electronic cigarette created a "projectile wound" on D'Elia's head penetrating his skull and brain. It’s the first e-cigarette death in the United States, according to FEMA, which keeps statistics on e-cigarettes. 
 
 The medical examiner says the vape was a Smok-E Mountain Mech Works, a type of unregulated mechanical mod e-cigarette, which in an online description says "does not come with safety features." 
 
 ABC Action News found an online warning explaining that the vape is not meant for beginners. 
 
 “I just don’t think they’re safe enough," explained Gary Wilder, the owner of Lizard Juice. 
 
 Wilder says he, and many other local store owners, won’t sell the “unregulated” e-cigarettes. Instead they turn to vapes with a computer chip inside, which keeps the device from overheating. 
 
 “Any other e-cig that has a computer chip in it prevents that from happening,” Wilder added. 
 
 According to a recent FEMA report, vape pen explosions are not common, but when they do happen, the shape of the devices make them behave like “flaming rockets.” 
 
 Wilder suggests using rubber casings over any extra batteries and re-wrapping any batteries that seem to be worn down. 
 
 "If that seal is broken on the top, the negative is exposed and if you put that in your pocket, it can do the same thing in your pocket," Wilder added. 
 
 The autopsy report does not say why the device exploded. 
 
 A representative from Smok-E Mountain tells us their devices do not explode, instead telling us it is likely an atomizer (the part a person inserts into their mouth) or a battery issue. The company says they've had problems with other companies cloning their batteries, which makes them less safe. The company is hoping to see photos of the device that was used by D'Elia. 
 
 When firefighters discovered D'Elia, 45% of his body was covered in burns. The Medical Examiner says D'Elia's cause of death is "accidental." 

 ST. PETERSBURG ï¿½ An exploding vape pen launched a projectile into the head of a 38-year-old man earlier this month, fatally wounding him, according to the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner. 
 
 The report, released Tuesday, confirms that the vape pen was responsible for the May 5 death of Tallmadge Dï¿½Elia, who was found by firefighters in the burning bedroom of his family home. 
 
 The explosion sent two pieces of the vape pen into his cranium, the report said. The official cause of death was "projectile wound of head" and was ruled an accident. He also suffered "thermal injuries," or burns, on roughly 80 percent of his body, the report said. 
 
 The vape pen was manufactured by Smok-E Mountain and is a "mod" type, according to the report. According to a Facebook page for the business, the manufacturer is located in Cebu City in the Philippines. 
 
 St. Petersburg Fire Rescue was called to Dï¿½Eliaï¿½s home on the 300 block of 19th Avenue NE, where crews found his body. 
 
 According to the autopsy report, officials found "extensive" fire damage in Dï¿½Eliaï¿½s bedroom, where his body was found, but minimal smoke. 
 
 There have been a few incidents of injuries stemming from vape pen explosions. In Idaho in January 2017, a man lost several teeth and suffered second-degree burns after a vape pen exploded in his face, according to NBC 6. And in 2016, a vape pen user in New York suffered third-degree burns after the pen exploded in his pants, NBC 4 New York reported. 
 
 According to the Food and Drug Administration the exact causes of vape pen explosions arenï¿½t yet clear; however, it could stem from battery-related issues. 
 
 ALSO READ: 
 
 Police investigating if St. Pete man died after vaping pen exploded in his face 
 
 Juuling: If you donï¿½t know what it is, ask your kids 
 
 More US adults try vaping but current use is down, data show 

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 You may have heard that e-cigarettes, or "vapes," can explode and seriously injure people. Although they appear rare, these explosions are dangerous. The exact causes of such incidents are not yet clear, but some evidence suggests that battery-related issues may lead to vape explosions. The safety tips below may help you avoid a vape battery explosion. Please report a vape explosion or any other unexpected health or safety issue with a vape to the FDA. 
 
 Full Infographic 
 
 What Else Can I Do? 
 
 Until all vapes and vape batteries conform to strong and consistent safety standards, your best protection against vape battery explosions may be knowing as much as possible about your device and how to properly handle and charge its batteries. 
 
 Make sure you read and understand the manufacturer's recommendations for use and care of your device. If your vape did not come with instructions or you have further questions, contact the manufacturer. 
 
 Don't remove or disable safety features—like fire button locks or vent holes—that are designed to prevent battery overheating and explosions. 
 
 Only use batteries recommended for your device. Don't mix different brands of batteries, use batteries with different charge levels, or use old and new batteries together. 
 
 Charge your vape on a clean, flat surface, away from anything that can easily catch fire and someplace you can clearly see it—not a couch or pillow where it is more prone to overheat or get turned on accidentally. 
 
 Protect your vape from extreme temperatures by not leaving it in direct sunlight or in your car on a freezing cold night. 
 
 Downloads 
 
 Share these safety tips with your friends—download the images below and share with your social media community. 
 
 
 
 How Do I Report a Vape Battery Explosion to FDA? 
 
 FDA is aware of explosion events and is collecting data to help address this problem. Please report a vape explosion, or any other unexpected health or safety issue with a vape, to the FDA through the Safety Reporting Portal. When you fill out the form, please be sure to include: 
 
 The name of the vape manufacturer 
 
 The brand name, model, and serial number of the vape 
 
 The brand name and model of the battery 
 
 Where it was purchased 
 
 Whether the product was used differently than intended by the manufacturer 
 
 Whether the product was modified in any way 
 
 Learn more about how to report a battery explosion to the FDA in the video below. 
 

– An awful first in the US: death by exploding vape pen. Former CNBC television producer Tallmadge D'Elia, 38, was found dead in a burning bedroom in his home in St. Petersburg, Fla., on May 5 as a result of what the Pinellas County medical examiner now says was an exploding vape pen. D'Elia, who was found with two parts of the electronic cigarette lodged in his cranium, died of a "projectile wound" to his head but also suffered burns to 80% of his body, an autopsy reads, per WTSP and the Tampa Bay Times. It concluded the death was accidental. Though such explosions are uncommon, there were 200 in the US between 2000 and 2016, WFTV reported in advance of the autopsy. According to FEMA, this is the first e-cigarette death in the US. Other users have lost teeth and suffered burns after similar explosions. The FDA, which shares tips to avoid such explosions, notes "the exact causes of such incidents are not yet clear," though some evidence points to "battery-related issues." The agency and the CDC recommend using vape pens with safety features, including those designed to prevent battery overheating, and keeping batteries away from metal objects like coins and keys. The vape pen used by D’Elia, a Smok-E Mountain Mech Works "mod"—Vapes.com notes vape mods are modified e-cigarettes or vape pens that "can have built-in batteries and come with atomizer tanks while others need additional parts to function"—did not have safety features, reports WFTS. Claiming its devices do not explode, a rep for the maker tells the outlet he suspects something went wrong with the atomizer or battery, noting copycat batteries are an issue.