Adding to Recent String of Samsung Disasters, Galaxy S7 Edge Sparks House Fire in Ohio
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The latest in a series of fiascos caused by combusting Samsung smartphones did not involve a Galaxy Note 7, the device that has been the subject of a massive global recall due to faulty batteries.
Instead, it was a recently purchased Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone that sparked a fire while charging at Danielle Boutilier’s home in Painesville, Ohio, according to emergency crews and the local fire department. “It was charging at the time, we believe that’s the probable cause,” Painesville Fire Chief Mark Mlachak said to ABC News 5.
Luckily, no one was hurt, but the incident could have been much, much worse, as people tend to sleep near or right next to their phones.
“People keep their phones by their pillows, right next to them while they sleep. Be careful. That could be you over a cell phone,” Danielle Boutilier said to ABC News 5. Boutilier said that she noticed overheating issues with the phone immediately after buying it and informed Samsung of the problem, taking screenshots of the phone and even mailing the offending phone in to Samsung to no avail. Less than two months after she purchased the S7 Edge, it caused a fire that burned through the wall behind Boutilier’s nightstand and melted part of her mattress while charging, even though she had been using the company-issued charger that came with the phone.
The phone is currently with her insurance company for inspection. Boutilier has been instructed to leave everything at her home as is until fire officials and her insurance company can complete a thorough investigation. Samsung released the following press statement regarding the incident:
“Our first concern is the safety of Ms. Boutilier. We are reaching out to her to ensure that we are doing everything we can to support her. We will conduct a thorough examination of the device once we receive it so that we can investigate the unique circumstances surrounding this incident. We encourage all Samsung customers to contact us directly at 1-800-SAMSUNG.”
Boutilier and her children are staying at a nearby motel for the time being.
Learn about more of Samsung’s recent disasters here.
