A smartphone left charging in a Moscow apartment started a fire, according to Life publication, with details shared on the SHOT Telegram channel.
The incident took place on the seventh floor of a building on Fergana Street in the Vykhino-Zhulebino district. Inhabitants of one unit had plugged the device in to charge and then headed out to work. In due course, the phone battery overheated and ignited without any external trigger.
Neighbors reported a fire in a room, and some could smell burning. They notified emergency services, and SHOT reported that four fire crews arrived to extinguish the blaze.
The fire damaged the room and the corridor on the apartment’s seventh floor. Flames breached the window, causing damage to the air conditioner in the apartment above. A pet cat did not survive the incident. The residents managed to evacuate without injuries.
The brand of the smartphone involved was not disclosed, and the charger’s operating conditions remained unspecified at the time of reporting.
In general discussions about such incidents, researchers and safety experts note that budget devices from certain brands are often implicated in fires. Common causes include battery failure or damage, which can lead to rapid heating beyond 100 degrees Celsius and ignition risks.
Earlier reports described a similar incident involving a schoolgirl in the Moscow region whose phone caught fire while in use. These events underscore the need for safe charging practices and vigilant monitoring of devices when they are charging.
Attribution: (Source: Life, SHOT Telegram) – information compiled from reported incidents and official fire service updates.