Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
Video Credit: AsiaWire
This is the moment a Samsung S10 owner is forced to pour a basin of water over his 688-GBP device after it started smoking and then caught fire just one day after he says he started using it.
Images provided to Asia Wire by owner Mr Huo shows him having dropped his phone on the floor, with the device emitting smoke from its battery.
Mr Huo, who lives in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang region in north-western China, douses it with water and films on another device as the Samsung sizzles and crackles on the floor.
Pictures Credit: AsiaWire
The video was filmed on 28th May, just two days after Mr Huo ordered off Samsung’s official store on Chinese e-commerce site JD, and one day after the brand-new device was delivered to his door.
He told local media: “I was preparing to import my data into the phone when I realised its battery was almost flat.
“I plugged the data cable in to charge, but after a while I saw it hadn’t actually been charging. The cable and phone were hot to the touch.
“I pulled the cable out, but then the phone became even hotter – like the bottom of a pan.
“I couldn’t hold it and dropped it. It began emitting smoke and caught fire.
“I fetched a basin of water and poured it on the phone. The fire had already died down at the time, but it kept smoking and crackling.
“I took it back the next day, they said they’d investigate, but they never followed up.”
Images of the 5,999-RMB (688-GBP) device shows its plastic shell having charred and melted from the apparent lithium battery fire.
Mr Huo said he took the phone to a Samsung China customer service centre in Urumqi immediately afterwards.
He said: “The service rep took a few photos, wrote up a form and wanted to take the phone in, but I didn’t agree to it.
“Then I got a call from Samsung on 10th June saying I had to hand the phone in for them to inspect it.
“So I reluctantly gave the phone to the Samsung service centre, but it’s been nearly a month and there’s been no response from Samsung.”
Chinese representatives of the South Korean electronics giant has yet to respond publicly to the incident either, and Mr Hou finally decided to go public on 30th June.
Beijing-based JD, which is also known as Jingdong, has reportedly offered Mr Huo a full refund.
Mr Huo told Asia Wire today (2nd July): “I still want Samsung to investigate and give me a full explanation, as well as assurances that it won’t happen again.
“I’ve taken the case to consumer rights authorities today, but Samsung has yet to contact me.”
The Galaxy S10 was unveiled to the public in February this year and is part of their 10th anniversary series, celebrating a decade of Galaxy phones.
The flagship lineup includes the S10e, S10, S10+ as well as its top-of-the-range S10 5G.
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