iPhone Explodes in Man's Pocket Giving Him Second and Third Degree Burns [Video]

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Posted February 28, 2015 at 5:03pm by iClarified

An iPhone reportedly exploded in a Long Island man's pocket giving him second and third degree burns and hospitalizing him in a burn unit for more than a week, reports ABC7.

Erik Johnson, the iPhone owner says, "My iPhone blew up. And everybody's answer is 'What?'" The phone was in his pocket on Valentine's Day when it spontaneously exploded, just moments after he arrived at his cousin's wake.

"I had the phone in my pocket, simple little gesture, bent over to get keys and all I heard was pop. Sssssh smoke coming out," Johnson said. "And just like an instant burn, my leg just starts going on fire, try to get it out, can't get it out. I was literally jumping up and down trying to get the phone out of my pocket, but I think the phone melted my pockets shut so I couldn't get into it and I had to rip my pants off and throw the pants to the side. A couple of people actually said they could smell my body burning."

With burns on his inner thigh, he spent 10 days in the burn unit before finally getting back home Tuesday, says ABC7. A nurse visits twice a day to change his bandage.

Johnson had a metal case on his iPhone 5c which is now warped and stuck to the phone. There have been times in the past where iPhones have exploded; however, those usually involved third party chargers. Johnson said he was using an Apple cable for his iPhone and hired Mike Della as his lawyer.

"Obviously Apple has to take a closer look at what they're putting out in the stream of commerce before they go out and sell these items that could potentially be this dangerous," Della said.

"I just want my leg back to what it was you know?" Johnson said.

Apple told Eyewitness News that it's looking into the case.

Take a look at the video below for more details...

Read More [via DailyMail]

iPhone Explodes in Man's Pocket Giving Him Second and Third Degree Burns [Video]

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casual - March 3, 2015 at 4:07pm

seems strange that the case doesn't have a mark on it... no char or discoloration from the heat... not burnt in the slightest.

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mshonhall - March 2, 2015 at 8:07pm

""Obviously Apple has to take a closer look at what they're putting out in the stream of commerce before they go out and sell these items that could potentially be this dangerous," Della said." By this point, Apple has probably sold over 100 million iPhone 6 & 6 Pluses since last Sept. I'd say they have a pretty good track record for "taking a closer look" at what they're selling to the "stream of commerce." No doubt, he'll get a hefty check coming his way. But, the lawyerese spin is just maddening.

Andrewb01 - March 1, 2015 at 10:34pm

That case is not metal. It is a Spigen Tough Armor, TPC rubber and plastic back plate. Plus that case is for iPhone 5/5S, the 5C version doesn't have the circle for the Apple Logo. Likely he was using a cheap chinese wall adapter or had an aftermarket battery replacement.

clown - March 1, 2015 at 3:09pm

No fan , but a metal case. = hot

Captain Japan - March 1, 2015 at 11:59am

#obamacare

Great! - March 1, 2015 at 8:01am

He's using the apple cable, but is he using the apple charger?

skeptics - March 1, 2015 at 4:49am

It looks like an iphone5, which the battery may have been replaced with an aftermarket one. Apple will investigate it to the finest grain. C'mon man, you won't get a dime if you are thinking of lawsuits!

PaladinLV - March 1, 2015 at 12:23am

Burns on "INNER" thigh? But pockets are on the OUTER thigh. 10 days in hospital? And not one question from the worthless news media about these oddities! One word "SCAM?"

King Gates - February 28, 2015 at 8:21pm

it's just another rotten apple, there is plenty more outhere just wait and see. it's not the first one that goes Boom!!!!! apple-Crapple

Techno - February 28, 2015 at 7:54pm

An IPhone 4 possibly 4S, Probably had the battery change a once or twice from China. Yeah it exploded.. but the battery was not from Apple. Case closed!

SimonSays - February 28, 2015 at 7:52pm

Sometimes batteries vent. It's the nature of lithium ion batteries. It's not apples fault. They don't mannufacture batteries. Plenty of other phones and laptops with lithium batteries have center in the past. Plenty more will vent in the future. While changing the screen omg brothers iPhone 5 last week, saw that the battery had ballooned, indicating minor venting. Had the screen not died suddenly, it could have vented in his pocket also. That's why I use a horizontal leather pouch to carry mine. Phones don't belong in pockets!

Dd0723 - February 28, 2015 at 6:29pm

Wait. Wait. Wait. If the phone is in his pocket how in the hell is the inner thigh that got burnt? Unless he had it in between the legs for a joy vibration I don't buy it. Also 10 days in the hospital?? My girlfriend had surgery 6 weeks ago and she went home the same day.

Forrest - March 2, 2015 at 1:18am

Good point !!!

Dan007 - February 28, 2015 at 6:17pm

He puts a plastic phone in his pocket, bending it, and then it cracks and overheats because of the metal case surrounding the plastic phone? Nothing to see here... move along...

Generalizing .... - February 28, 2015 at 5:19pm

So let's step back a second, this guy is stating that Apple did a poor job of making sure the products are safe, so he is expecting every single iPhone of the millions put out on the market to be in absolutely perfect condition? Also, he stated he used an Apple cable, the charge is carried by the cable yes, but the actual charge is coming from the power brick, which was not confirmed to be Apple's own. Also, an iPhone 5c? The iPhone 6 & 6 have been out for nearly 5 months now, so assuming he bought the phone just before the release of the new model (which is incredibly stupid by the way) the phone would have 5 months worth of ware and tear on it, which is more than plenty of time to cause some serious external and internal time.

justabrake - February 28, 2015 at 5:17pm

Check this guys background and see if he's in debt or a scammer !

justabrake - February 28, 2015 at 5:16pm

I don't buy it ! Spending 10 in a hospital, People with major surgeries go home faster !

gamerscul9870 - February 28, 2015 at 5:16pm

Not as sweet as the lollipop of malware sucking Galaxy. They make the record with burning an apartment.

stevenlacross - February 28, 2015 at 5:13pm

Don't look into the case, look into the phone lol, no but seriously, it's not an issue with the iPhone 5c's, it's and issue with Foxconn in China slaving their workers to work 16 hour shifts and not giving them any days off even if they are feeling sick, they sometimes fall asleep at their work bench putting these phone together, no wonder a lot of them are defective and need to be exchanged at an Apple Store, some of those defective ones explode like this guys did