5 Samsung Galaxy phones that have exploded, literally, and caused some damage

Why do Samsung Galaxy cellphones keep exploding? Since the release of the Galaxy Series, there have been numerous reports of the phone spontaneously combusting.

Here are five Samsung Galaxy cellphones that set on fire this year alone. Some even caused significant damage such as third-degree burns and burning down a home.

1. Samsung Galaxy S4 explodes in man's pocket (September, 2013)


What's left of Rodriquez's Samsung Galaxy after it exploded in his pocket.

An Oregon man, Manolo Rodriguez, reported that his cellphone was safe in his jacket pocket when suddenly he felt his chest burning and smelled smoke. It turns out that the phone exploded in his pocket and burnt his chest, lips, and fingers. The Woodburn Fire Department of Oregon responded to the call and did find the phone ablaze on the floor.

2. Samsung Galaxy S4 explodes, burns down home (July, 2013)

Damage caused by exploding Galaxy S4.  

A Hong Kong man claimed that his Galaxy S4 was responsible for torching his entire home. The man, who goes by the name “Du,” was playing the game “Love Machine” on his phone (that was charging at the time). He heard a popping noise and threw the phone onto the couch which then caught on fire and eventually burned down the rest of his home.

3. Samsung Galaxy S4 explodes while on charger (July, 2013)

A woman from the United Arab Emirates plugged her phone into the charger overnight. While she was asleep, it burst into flames, scorching the USB charging cable, the S-View cover, and the micro USB port.

4. Samsung Galaxy S3 explodes in girl's pocket, causes severe burns (May, 2013)

 Schlatter's leg endured second and third-degree burns

Schlatter's leg wrapped, holding phone that had exploded in pocket.

Fanny Schlatter, a teenager from Switzerland, had her Galaxy S3 in her pants pocket when it suddenly exploded, leaving her with second- and third-degree burns on her right thigh. She heard the crackling explosion, smelled chemicals, and then saw her pants were on fire.

5. Samsung Galaxy S3 explodes while on charger (May, 2013)

Vizion1208 posted pictures of Samsung Galaxy that set fire while on charger.

A Reddit user under the alias “Vizion1208” posted that he plugged his Galaxy S3 into the charger, went to sleep, and was awakened by a loud noise. When he ran to his phone, it was smoldering and just beginning to set on fire.
“The plastic on my phone was melting and kind of shooting out of it and some landed on my pinky finger and burned some skin off,” Vizion1208 wrote.

Then you have people who claim that their Galaxy S3 spontaneously combusted, later to find out from the fire investigation report that the real reason was because the someone put it in the microwave to dry it off after dropping it in water.

Either way, if you've got a Samsung Galaxy, I’d recommend a fire-extinguisher as an accessory.