iPhone Electrocution: Thai Man Found Dead After Using iPhone 4S While Charging
A man from Thailand has reportedly died from electrocution while talking on his iPhone 4S while charging. Based on the report of a Thai language publication Daily News Thailand, authorities in the Rayong province discovered the unnamed man in his home lying on the floor while still holding on to his iPhone. Police found the burnt device in the person's left hand.
A partially censored but graphic image of the man's body showed marks from severe burns including the neck and chest area. Officials concluded the Thai man's death was due to electrocution. The dead body has been taken to the hospital for autopsy.
According to reports, the man's father said he saw his son on the floor without a shirt on because of hot weather. A few hours later, he heard a cry coming from his son's room but he ignored the noise, thinking that his son was sleepwalking again. The father found the body in the morning.
Although the exact circumstances are unknown, the father believes his son may have been using his iPhone 4S on the floor while he was charging. His son may have been using the device while talking or he could have laid down on it while charging.
When the father found his son's body, he saw the iPhone 4S plugged into a wall outlet. Based on the pictures taken from where the body was found, the adapter does not look like an authentic Apple charger.
Other iPhone-related incidents
This was not the first incident that a death was reported linking an unofficial third-party adapter to deaths and injuries while using the iPhone. In July, a woman from China has died after being electrocuted while charging her iPhone 5.
According to a Chinese news report from Da Lian Everything News, a Chinese woman has sustained eye injuries after her iPhone 5 exploded while she was talking to someone on her phone.
The woman in China allegedly felt the screen of the iOS device getting warm after holding her iPhone 5 close to her ear for about 40 minutes. After several attempts to end the call by repeatedly tapping on the screen, the iPhone 5 eventually exploded.
The explosion from the iPhone 5 sent some particles of device into her eyes. The Chinese woman was then rushed to the emergency and remained in the hospital to receive medical treatment.
A few days later, a Chinese man was also electrocuted while charging his iPhone 4. The man was left comatose after the incident.
Apple Inc has investigated both electrocution cases in China and led the company to warn consumers about the use of unauthorised charging cables and adapters. Apple posted the warning on its Web site, including a detailed look of official Apple chargers.