Teen burned by exploding vapor pen urges others to give them up

CASTLE ROCK, Colorado (WPVI) -- A Colorado teenager is recovering from serious burns he says were caused by an electronic smoking device called a vapor pen.

And he's warning other teens not to use them.

17-year-old Marcus Forzani has 2nd and 3rd degree burns along his thigh and calf.

He says the battery on his vapor pen exploded in his pocket.

"Bell rang, stood up to get my jacket which was on the other side of the classroom, 5 steps within that sparks started flying out of my pocket. It literally looked like someone was welding in my pocket," recalls Forzani.

"In the past 6 months weve seen an increase in the number of burn patients as well as dramatic injury patients in relation to electronic cigarettes and battery operated vapor devices," says Dr. Tanya Oswald, Forzani's reconstructive surgeon.

She says he needs at least 2 more operations to repair the damage.

Marcus says he's given up using vapor pens and hopes others will do the same.