5 Methods to Avoid Vape Explosion: A Detailed Guide

On September 8, 2026, a case between Mesa Underwriters Specialty Insurance Company (MUSIC) and i5 Distribution brings us back to the tragedy of William Kelly Courser Jr., the victim of a vape explosion.

We can’t ignore that vapes can catch fire or explode because of the integrated lithium-ion batteries. In order to vape safely, I’d like to show you 5 ways to avoid vape explosions.

1. Do Vapes Have Lithium Batteries?

As a portable electronic device, most e-cigarettes are powered by lithium-ion batteries. A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery with higher energy density and longer cycle life. As a result, rechargeable vapes with lithium-ion batteries are long-lasting and reusable.

(1) Do Disposable Vapes Have Lithium Batteries?

All disposable vapes are equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The energy density rises from 650mAh to 1000mAh, which leads to e-waste problems at the same time. In order to solve e-waste pollution, California has passed a ban on disposable vapes.

(2) Are Vape Mod Batteries Lithium-ion Type?

Typical cylindrical batteries for powerful vape mods and box mods are also Li-ion batteries. This type of vape battery is easier to recycle as other devices are compatible, too.

2. Can Vapes Explode?

Yes. Vape batteries may catch fire or explode. A vape explosion may occur suddenly without any trace, like the vape blog you poured effort into could collapse in one night. Although we can’t figure out why Google kills our website, it’s easier to figure out what leads to a vape exploding.

(1) Dropped Vape in Water Will It Explode?

Despite waterproof features claimed by brands, e-cigarettes are vulnerable to water. The chipboard is short-circuited first, and you can hardly restart your vape normally. Water damage is usually irreversible and can lead to a vape battery explosion.

(2) Other Vape Accidents

Vape leaks can not only short-circuit your vape, but also damage the battery directly. If two 18650 or 21700 batteries are stored incorrectly, a vape battery can catch fire too. Leave your vape in the car in summer? It’s also risky, as lithium-ion batteries are not as stable as we expect. It’s sensitive to extreme temperatures and physical damage.

3. How to Prevent Vapes Exploding?

We put vapes in our pockets and bags, and no one wants a ticking bomb by their side. Vape explosions can be prevented or noticed before they cause damage to us. Here are the 5 ways to avoid vape explosion.

(1) Don’t Overcharge Your Vape!

Unlike our smartphones, most e-cigarettes don’t come with overcharge protection. I recommend that you buy a vape with screen, which shows you the current battery level. Unplug the vape when it hits 100% battery and don’t charge your vape overnight.

(2) Don’t Leave Your Vape in the car in hot summer

External heat leads to thermal runaway, a process triggered by high temperature at first and resulting in higher temperature in return.

To put it simply, if you leave your vape exposed to high temperatures, it will accumulate more heat than it can normally emit. The destructive result can be a vape fire or vape explosion. So, keep your vape away from heat sources and other flammable objects in your house. Use a clean and non-flammable container to store them.

(3) Choose Vapes with Detachable Battery

Despite their popularity, disposable vapes are involved in many cases of vape explosions. They have pretty high prices and poor quality control. Auto-firing and abnormal hot vape shell usually indicate a malfunction of the batteries inside.

The best type, if you prefer disposable vapes, is one you can turn off or remove the battery. You can store the pod and battery part separately and prevent accidents. Vapes with detachable battery could also be mandatory, as the EU battery regulation applies to e-cigarettes.

(4) Store 18650 Battery Safely

For advanced vapers, there will be a lot of spare 18650 or 21700 batteries around. In order to store 18650 batteries safely, you need a fireproof container. The room temperature should be as long as it is between -20 ~ +50°C. Always remove the battery from your vape mod when you don’t use it. Also, store your vape batteries in a dust-free and dry environment, away from objects that can produce static electric charge.

(5) Dispose of Vapes Properly

Don’t put your used disposable vapes or broken pod kits in the garbage bag. They could interact with liquid and other random substances in the garbage truck or get damaged in transportation. According to a 2025 article by the BBC, vapes are still causing rubbish fires despite the disposable vape ban.

4. How to Put Out Lithium Battery Fire?

Since vapes can explode, we need to get ready for such accidents to keep our surroundings safe.

• Type of extinguisher: Use a purpose-rated lithium-ion/water-mist extinguisher or an ABC dry-chemical extinguisher for a small fire; do not use a Class D metal-fire extinguisher.
• How to use it: Call emergency services, keep an escape route behind you, pull the pin, aim at the base of the flames, squeeze the handle, and sweep from side to side.
• Cooling: Water helps cool lithium-ion batteries, but never apply it to an energized or mains-connected device.
• Hazards: Watch for thermal runaway, toxic or flammable gases, hot fragments, electric shock, and reignition. Evacuate if the battery swells, hisses, pops, produces heavy smoke, or the fire spreads; never touch or move it.

5. Conclusion

Vape explosions are a real threat to us if we are careless about our alternatives to cigarettes. As long as we pay more attention, we can effectively prevent vapes from exploding or at least minimize the damage. Since August 18, Google no longer shows vape blogs by VapeMove normally. The editorial team will continue to provide you with the latest and useful information about e-cigarettes.

Vape Explosion FAQ