Plugged to a power outlet for recharging, an iPhone 5 reportedly caused the death of a young Chinese woman as she was electrocuted when she picked up the phone to take an incoming call.

Details of the incident are scarce at the moment but according MacRumors, families of the victim, identified as 23-year-old Ma Ailun, told local investigators that she was using a relatively new iPhone 5 and both the unit and the charger were purchased from Apple's official retail channel in December last year.

While the probe initially ruled out the possibility that the freak accident was due to a fake iPhone or knock off accessories, both of which are readily available in China, the case highlighted the hazards of improper smartphone use that could lead serious injury or even death.

Below are some of the dangerous but avoidable situations which could instantly turn your iPhone or other electronic devices into a killing machine.

Using the phone with dripping hands

Water attracts electricity so wet hands touching anything with electricity is dangerous for everyone. Charging or not, it is best not run for your iPhone coming from the sink or the bathroom. Liquid from your hands could seep through an opening on the gadget, which is especially true for the old and beat down units or for new one without protective case. When that happens, sudden explosion could occur.

Better to towel dry first before answering a call. Don't be afraid to miss that important call as you can always ring back.

Overcharging or overheating

We tend to plug our phones overnight so it is up and ready for the busy day ahead. This habit, however, invites the serious risk of starting a fire right inside your home. The danger is raised exponentially if your iPhone is resting on easily combustible materials such as a rug or a pillow.

The safer way is to simply hook up the phone on a power source as soon you bolted out of the bed. You should get enough power juice while fixing yourself for work and grabbing some breakfast before heading out. The energy reserve may not be enough to last a day but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Using the phone on road

Whether you are crossing the street on foot or speeding in car, using smartphones, hands-free or not, is not advisable. Distraction in the middle of the road could prove fatal, greatly impairing your judgment in negotiating through a highway teeming with near-flying vehicles or blindsiding you of a rushing car that suddenly decided to beat the red light.

Using the phone in the middle of thunderstorm

Experts strongly advise that we keep a distance from functioning electronic devices during a lightning rain-down. Gizmos such as the mobile phone in our pocket is a magnet for that wayward electricity that is lightning, which is thousand of times deadlier than the electricity crawling through power lines.

During thunderstorms, stay indoors, power down your house's mother electricity switch and turn off your iPhone lest you be tempted to use it.