NEW YORK — One NYPD precinct is trying to spread the message about the potential dangers of people sleeping with their cell phones.
In particular, the NYPD 33rd Precinct warns people not to place a cell phone under a pillow to charge it or while they are sleeping.
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Extreme burn danger
Accompanying the tweet are images of a cell phone that appears to have caught fire, leaving an ugly burn hole in the pillow.
Don't put your cellphone under a pillow when sleeping or when charging your device.Please share this tip and b safe! pic.twitter.com/uwD3PXgVQf
— NYPD 33rd Precinct (@NYPD33Pct) February 16, 2016
The images appear to be from a 2014 case, in which a teenager from Texas was awakened to her phone smoldering under her pillow. She was unharmed, but the phone was totally destroyed.
In that case, Samsung, the phone maker, investigated the incident and found that the battery was a replacement and not an original Samsung product. Additionally, Samsung includes in its user guide a warning about the fire risk involved when a device’s air flow is restricted.
Consumers should refer to the user guide for warnings and tips on cell phone charging and usage.
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