There have been a couple of reports over the past few months of iPhones exploding in Apple Stores while undergoing repairs, but no one has managed to obtain any video evidence of these eruptions. That changes now, as ABC News has obtained footage of this happening in a store in Las Vegas, although it’s not clear if it happened at an official outlet or a third-party repair shop.
ABC affiliate KTNV claims the device in question is an iPhone 6S unit. It was apparently brought in to have its shattered screen replaced. The surveillance video shows an employee sitting at his desk and working on a different phone, with the dangerous device to his left.
Moments later, the iPhone 6S can be seen bursting into flames, with a thick cloud of smoke accompanying it. All this happens within a few feet of the worker. He immediately jumps up and moves away from the fire.
Eventually, he goes towards the front of the shop and makes a call to someone. The fire dies out in the meanwhile, leaving behind nothing but smoke and the charred remains of the iPhone 6S. It seems the smartphone’s battery expanded from the heat and engulfed the handset in flames in the process.
Also Read: iPhone battery explodes in Apple Store, 7 injured
Lithium-ion batteries used in most smartphones today do have a tendency to explode when temperatures soar or pressure is applied. Perhaps something went wrong during the repair process. This does appear to be an isolated case, but we’ll let you know if more iPhones explode in the future.