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Teen found dead after phone under pillow explodes

By on October 24, 2019

Alua Asetkyzy, a 14-year-old teenager from Bastobe, Kazakhstan, left her smartphone under the pillow plugged into a nearby electric socket and fell asleep listening to music.

Then the phone’s battery burst, seriously injuring the girl resulting in instant death. Alua’s family called the paramedics but it was too late. Forensic experts who investigated the incident said the battery exploded after overheating from long hours of charging.  The mobile phone that exploded was found under the girl’s pillow.

“I still cannot believe it. You were the best. We have been together since childhood. It is so hard for me without you. I miss you so much. You have left me forever,” writes the teen’s best friend Ayazhan Dolasheva,  on her social network page.

Why do phones explode and how can we prevent it?

It isn’t the first time we’ve heard of cell phones exploding.  Any phone can explode when the device has been exposed to too much heat, damage, or using cheap third-party chargers, which can cause damage to a phone battery. Millions of product recall cases all over the world are due to faulty batteries.

Lithium ion is one of the most popular batteries used in cellphones. It’s lightweight and holds as much as 6x more of the charge which is great for laptops and mobile phones. But Lithium ion batteries don’t mix well with too much heat and water. Therefore do not expose your device to too much heat (ex. over charging).  Also avoid exposing device to water (ex. using your phone while walking in the rain, being in a bath tub or sauna). Too much heat and water exposure cause the battery to corrode which, over time, could result in a short.

One last tip:  Don’t buy counterfeit devices and/or  third-party battery chargers even if they are cheap. It is a fact that counterfeit devices are poorly made units. They are made cheaply and irresponsibly because they are sold inexpensively. It is normal for cellphones to heat up. But when it becomes too hot to a point that holding the device becomes uncomfortable, chances are your device is a counterfeit. Always buy from an authorized dealer.

 

About Ted Tanaka