Auxiliary Battery Explodes During Sleep Causing Burns... Company Says "We Will Refer to the Valuable Review"

Battery Explosion Causes Fire... Second-Degree Burns on Leg and Hand
Explosion Risk Raised in Consumer Reviews, Similar Incident in July
"Irresponsible Attitude Despite Knowing the Danger"

The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Pixabay]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] An incident occurred where a phone auxiliary battery being charged suddenly exploded. As a result of the fire caused by this, the consumer suffered severe burns, but the battery company showed an irresponsible attitude, causing controversy.

According to Yonhap News, a couple in their 30s, Mr. A and his wife, who both work in Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, have recently been unable to work and have been visiting a hospital in Suwon-si. This is because they suffered severe burns from a fire caused by the explosion of a phone auxiliary battery.

The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on the 21st of last month. At that time, the couple, who were sleeping, were suddenly awakened by a 'pop' sound. Looking around, they saw flames rising inside the living room. The fire started from the auxiliary battery that was charging and climbed up along the living room wall.

Photos taken by Mr. A immediately after the accident show that the flat-shaped battery had swollen like a balloon. Also, internal components of the battery burst out and scattered, completely melting. The problematic battery is known to be a product imported by a domestic company from a Chinese manufacturer’s Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) and sold after receiving the Korea Certification (KC) safety mark.

Due to this fire, Mr. A suffered second-degree burns on his legs. His wife sustained second-degree burns on both hands, and her condition worsened over time to the point where she could not even see the baby. Additionally, the baby who was sleeping between the couple inhaled toxic gases generated by the fire.

The material damage was also considerable. The sofa where the battery was placed was severely burned and became unusable, and black soot appeared on the walls. Other items such as an air purifier and a phone were also damaged.

However, the battery sales company showed an irresponsible attitude regarding the incident. Although the company received the accident report through their customer center, it was reported that there was little contact for over a week. Mr. A complained that he did not receive any response from the company regarding the cause of the battery explosion or compensation for damages. According to Yonhap News, the company only began to directly contact the consumer after media coverage started.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time a fire has occurred due to this product. A similar incident to Mr. A’s case occurred in July, and the company reportedly conducted a cause analysis. Furthermore, consumer reviews of this product include comments such as "smoke came from the battery," "the heat is too severe," and "I was scared it would explode," mainly pointing out the risks of explosion and fire. This indicates that the company was already aware of the battery’s dangers.

However, the company only responded to these consumer reviews with comments like "We will take your valuable reviews into consideration and strive to provide better service." In July, they contacted some consumers to exchange old products, but it is known that there was no fundamental solution to the problem.

Mr. A has reported the company to the Korea Product Safety Management Institute, claiming that the company sold the product despite knowing its risks. The Product Safety Management Institute can investigate accidents involving KC-certified products and take measures such as ordering product recalls and imposing fines.

Regarding this, the company told Yonhap News, "We manufactured the product according to KC certification standards," but also said, "There is a possibility of a defect in the overheating cut-off component inside the battery." They added, "We offer our condolences and apologies to the customers who suffered damage due to this unintended accident."