Yesterday (Sunday, 8th May), another case of a smartphone exploding while it’s being charged was reported.
According to mStarOnline, entertainment journalist Tengku Khalidah Tengku Bidin said that her daughter, Dina, was charging her phone in one of the rooms of their house in Setiawangsa when the incident occurred.
The smartphone exploded about half an hour after it was charged, burning a pillow in the process. “I was in the kitchen, and was shocked when my child was shouting fire, fire. There was fire and smoke from the handphone. Luckily no one was holding it the time,” she said.
No one was injured in the incident and thanks to Tengku Khalidah’s quick thinking, no further damage was done as she switched off the electricity mains of her house.
This is the 3rd smartphone-charging-related case in the span of just a few weeks.
On 19th April, a 30-year-old mother of 2 from Cheras died while using a charging smartphone. She was believed to have experienced an electrical shock from the smartphone, which was plugged into a wall socket. It was the first time that anyone in the country has ever been killed from using a charging smartphone.
A few days later, it was reported that a 28-year-old man from Kedah attempted to answer an incoming call on his smartphone that was charging when it exploded. He suffered injuries to the right side of his face, right ear, as well as the right side of his chest and right arm.
It’s not that uncommon to hear news about smartphones exploding or bursting into flames, causing burn accidents. But there are a few ways to educate yourself with some basic tech knowledge to avoid these mishaps.
For example, use only batteries or chargers that are original products. Third party chargers could save you a buck or two but they’re not always certified safe. Inexpensive batteries from unknown manufacturers can be very dangerous too, especially if you have a habit of charging your smartphone on your bed, inches away from your head, as you sleep through the night. This is because some manufacturers have been known to “save money” by not inserting the fuse that disconnects the circuit in the case of the battery overheating.
Another good tip is to not leave your device in hot areas, especially if it’s charging. Ambient temperatures affect batteries a lot and makes overheating problems worse.
Last but not least, if your smartphone is charging or you are using functions that cause it to heat up a lot, make sure you are using it in a ventilated place (which means taking it out of its case, if you have one).
Sources: mStarOnline via The Star Online, International Business Times, FMT, AndroidPIT / Featured image: The Star Online.
