Spontaneous Mobile Phone Blast Burn Injury

Reports of cell phone explosions resulting in burn injuries while being plugged in for charging or while receiving a call are reported in regular newspapers and few journals.[1] [2] [3] Spontaneous explosions are unknown; we hereby report a case of burn injuries due to the spontaneous explosion of a cell phone in the pocket.

A 22-year-old man presented with a history of burns following spontaneous explosion of the mobile phone kept in his trouser pocket while riding an e-bike. The blast followed a head-on collision with another bike. Immediately, the patient moved aside, took the cell phone off the pocket, and smothered the flame with his hand, sustaining injury to his right thumb. The mobile was burnt and the front right pocket of his jeans pant was also burnt ([Fig. 1]). On examination, 4% second-degree superficial and deep thermal burn involving the anteromedial aspect of the right thigh ([Fig. 2]) and right thumb were noted. Immediately after presentation, wound care with thorough wash and topical antibiotics was done. Superficial burn wound healed, while split skin grafting was done after 2 weeks for the 2-degree deep burns.

Fig. 1 (a) Image of the cell phone after spontaneous blast. (b) Image of the burnt front pocket of the trousers.

Fig. 2 (a) Clinical photographs of the burn wound over the medial aspect of the thigh on day 1. (b) Clinical photographs of the healing burn wound on day 10.

Injuries due to cell phone explosions are not uncommon. The most common reasons for cell phone explosions are using it while being charged and “call bombing.”[1] It may be due to a spark generated by the battery within the phone or the electromagnetic waves that generate current and ignite an inflammable object in the vicinity.[3] [4]

The causes of cell phone explosion are often related to the use of replacement batteries and chargers, etc. Mobile phones usually use lithium batteries, which transform chemical energy into electrical energy. If the battery heats up quickly while charging or during heavy usage, the chemical makeup of phone battery results in a chain reaction called “thermal runaway.”[5] This results in the generation of heat exceeding 60°C, and the phone in turn catches fire. The chemical reaction may lead to the release of gases and buildup of pressure and lead to a blast.

In our case, the victim had kept the mobile in his pocket while riding an e-bike at a speed of 20 to 30 km/h. Further, he claimed to have used only company-provided accessories obtained at the time of purchase 5 months ago and the mobile was not defective and was in a good condition prior to the incident. Cell phones left in the car and in direct sunlight have been known to get heated up and blast spontaneously. E-bikes are also known to catch fire as they do have lithium batteries. In this case, the e-bike may have a causal relationship by emitting electromagnetic waves causing blast or it could just be an incidental association. The causal relationship, however, could not be ascertained.

Because of emerging cell phone blast injuries, there is a need to increase public awareness about the potential risks of mobile phones. It is important to align to safe practice as prescribed by the manufacturer while using mobile phones and to avoid counterfeit products.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
11. Oktober 2024

• References

• 1 Mody NB, Patil SB, Kale SM. A review of three cases of mobile blast: the new culprit of hand injury. Indian J Plast Surg 2016; 49 (02) 261-264
• 2 Görgülü T, Torun M, Olgun A. A cause of severe thigh injury: battery explosion. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2015; 5: 49-51
• 3 Atreya A, Kanchan T, Nepal S, Pandey BR. Cell phone explosion. Med Leg J 2016; 84 (01) 18-21
• 4 Karabagli Y, Köse AA, Cetin C. Partial thickness burns caused by a spontaneously exploding mobile phone. Burns 2006; 32 (07) 922-924
• 5 Melhem GA, Howell P. Designing emergency relief systems for runaway reactions. CEP 2005; September: 23-28