Exploding phone

helpfoot46

Hi. I didn't know who to contact. Not really sure if you can help.

A week ago I was using a phone. It was about 5 years old. Never had any problems with it before. I noticed the back had come off. I looked at the battery which I saw was bulging. I turned it off and left it on my desk. At 10.30pm that night I suddenly thought to check the phone. As I was looking at it smoke began to come out of it and it then went off like a fire work. I managed to get it out of my bedroom and into the hall way before I dropped it as the heat burnt my hand. It was now on fire burning a hole in my carpet. I got it outside where it burnt itself out. 

I told phone company and they have asked me to send it to them. They also asked what I wanted. I didn't really think about that. I burnt three of my fingers. There's a hole in the carpet and the mental trauma has been quite bad. 

I didn't know what I should do or if I should just let them have the phone. I have taken pictures. 

Any advise you could give would be great.

Thank you for your time. Regards Chris.

Aylesbury_Duck

helpfoot46 said:

Hi. I didn't know who to contact. Not really sure if you can help.

A week ago I was using a phone. It was about 5 years old. Never had any problems with it before. I noticed the back had come off. I looked at the battery which I saw was bulging. I turned it off and left it on my desk. At 10.30pm that night I suddenly thought to check the phone. As I was looking at it smoke began to come out of it and it then went off like a fire work. I managed to get it out of my bedroom and into the hall way before I dropped it as the heat burnt my hand. It was now on fire burning a hole in my carpet. I got it outside where it burnt itself out. 

I told phone company and they have asked me to send it to them. They also asked what I wanted. I didn't really think about that. I burnt three of my fingers. There's a hole in the carpet and the mental trauma has been quite bad. 

I didn't know what I should do or if I should just let them have the phone. I have taken pictures. 

Any advise you could give would be great.

Thank you for your time. Regards Chris.

Send the phone to them.  That's all you can do.  They will investigate and notify you accordingly.

Take photos of the damaged carpet, seek medical treatment for any injury and keep records.  Get something from your GP to confirm the mental trauma and what losses have arisen from it.

pinkshoes

Take lots of photos of the phone and damage including serial number.

Don't mention mental trauma as it makes you sound like a compensation claimer!

If the carpet was brand new then claim for the carpet. If it was older then claim for its value. 

As for the burnt fingers, what did the hospital say? Are we talking skin taken off?!?!

Which phone was it?  Have you googled to see if others have had this issue? It's good to find other examples as it backs up your evidence.

Grumpy_chap

Does the phone still have the original battery from when it was brand new, or has the battery been replaced at any time?
Was this a phone you had from brand new?
Was it a phone as part of a combined contract with phone and airtime, or a phone you purchased outright?

Money_Grabber13579

Aylesbury_Duck said:

helpfoot46 said:

Hi. I didn't know who to contact. Not really sure if you can help.

A week ago I was using a phone. It was about 5 years old. Never had any problems with it before. I noticed the back had come off. I looked at the battery which I saw was bulging. I turned it off and left it on my desk. At 10.30pm that night I suddenly thought to check the phone. As I was looking at it smoke began to come out of it and it then went off like a fire work. I managed to get it out of my bedroom and into the hall way before I dropped it as the heat burnt my hand. It was now on fire burning a hole in my carpet. I got it outside where it burnt itself out. 

I told phone company and they have asked me to send it to them. They also asked what I wanted. I didn't really think about that. I burnt three of my fingers. There's a hole in the carpet and the mental trauma has been quite bad. 

I didn't know what I should do or if I should just let them have the phone. I have taken pictures. 

Any advise you could give would be great.

Thank you for your time. Regards Chris.

Send the phone to them.  That's all you can do.  They will investigate and notify you accordingly.

Take photos of the damaged carpet, seek medical treatment for any injury and keep records.  Get something from your GP to confirm the mental trauma and what losses have arisen from it.

Which raises a question - I wonder how they expect the phone to be sent to them? I can’t imagine any carrier would be willing to transport a battery which has become so unstable that it has gone on fire and could be at risk of doing so again.