GEORGIA, Sept 19 — A 23-year-old man was left with first-degree burns and a hole in the roof of his mouth when an e-cigarette he was smoking blew up in his face. 

James Lauria also suffered burns to his hand and cornea, a fractured neck and finger and had his front tooth forced up into his gum.

Six weeks after the accident, James still cannot eat solid foods and now speaks with a lisp.

“He had burns to his hand and a fractured neck and finger, and burns to his cornea,” Ed Lauria, James’ father said during an interview with Fox 5 News.

“It blew a hole through his pallet and at the same time, flames went down and he got first-degree burns on his chest and up on his face. It forced his front tooth up into his gum— out of sight -and chipped the other one and damaged a few other lower teeth.”

The exploded device is currently being investigated by the South Walton Fire and Rescue Department.