"Foaming at the Mouth" Malaysian Teen Electrocuted While Charging Phone on Express Bus

Collapsed with foam at the mouth and a scream
Police investigation reveals burn marks on fingers

A teenager in Malaysia died from electrocution while charging a mobile phone on a express bus. On the 3rd (local time), local media including Bernama, The Star, and Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported that on the 1st, an 18-year-old youth on an express bus in Penang, northern Malaysia, lost consciousness and collapsed. Another passenger who witnessed the incident called an ambulance, but the medical team that arrived declared the youth dead at the scene. The witness said the youth boarded the express bus bound for Kuala Lumpur around 6 p.m. that day, and about 10 minutes later, he screamed, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed. A subsequent autopsy at a local hospital confirmed death by electrocution. No other injuries or criminal elements were found.

On the 1st, an 18-year-old boy who was on an express bus in Penang, northern Malaysia, died. Local police estimated that the boy was electrocuted while charging his mobile phone. The photo shows the express bus where the accident occurred.
[Photo by Free Malaysia Today (FMT)]

Local police chief Anuar Abdul Rahman stated, "Preliminary investigations found burn marks on his left hand fingers," adding, "Based on the melted charging cable end and the overheated mobile phone, it is presumed that he was electrocuted while charging his phone." The local police are investigating the detailed circumstances of the accident.

Meanwhile, cases of electrocution while charging mobile phones have occurred frequently. Last year, a 16-year-old Italian girl was electrocuted while charging her phone in a bathtub. At the time of the accident, she was charging her smartphone and talking to a friend on the phone. Then, she accidentally dropped the smartphone into the water, which caused a fatal electric current to flow through the bathtub she was in. Additionally, in 2019, a man in his 20s in Thailand was electrocuted while playing games on his phone as he charged it.

To avoid electrocution accidents, caution should be exercised when using electronic devices in damp conditions. Electrocution and fire accidents can occur at any time. Especially in places with a lot of moisture or high humidity, extra care should be taken when plugging power plugs into outlets or power strips. It is essential to prevent water from contacting power plugs and outlets, and never touch them with wet hands. If water has splashed, completely remove the moisture and use the device only when it is dry. It is also advisable to regularly check if the wire insulation is damaged.