A Colorado college student is in a critical condition in hospital after the electronic cigarette he was smoking exploded in his face.

Cordero Caples broke his neck and several bones in his face, lost his front tooth and burned his mouth when the device exploded in Colorado Springs on Friday.

The 29 year old was due to undergo spinal surgery on Sunday, Fox 13 reported.

The e-cigarette was reportedly made by Kangertech.

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Critical condition: Cordero Caples, 29, broke his neck and several bones in his face, lost his front tooth and burned his mouth when the device exploded in Colorado Springs on Friday

Codero underwent spinal surgery on Sunday and his family fear he may not be able to walk again. He is in training to be a personal trainer

This is the e-cigarette that exploded in the college student's face on Friday while he was smoking it. The accident was reportedly caused by operator error

Video courtesy of WMC Action 5 News

Relatives say it is uncertain if Codero will walk again.

The Memphis native moved to Colorado Springs to study personal training.

The accident makes his future uncertain.

'He's really, really into fitness, and he's really good at it,' his sister, Colessia Porter, told Fox 13.

'That's what he was in school to do, but with an injury like this, it puts those things in question.

'I'm just hopeful he can make a speedy recovery and a full recovery.'

An employee at an e-cigarette store in Memphis said the explosion was likely due to operator error, believing that Codero had been charging the device with a battery was that too powerful.

However the manufacturers of the device have not yet commented.

Codero, originally from Memphis, moved to Colorado Springs to train to be a personal trainer. His future is now uncertain because of the accident

Courtesy of FOX Memphis

Codero does not have medical insurance.

His sister has set up a GoFundMe page in order to try and raise money to cover his hospital bills.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, e-cigarette explosions are rare.

Between 2009 and 2014 there were 25 reported cases, WREG reported.

Of those cases, nine resulted in injuries.

Most of the incidents occurred when the devices were charging.



