Chinese welder killed by exploding phone
By Ruben Francia
A 22-year-old Chinese welder was killed when a mobile phone battery exploded in his chest pocket while he was welding at the Yingpan Iron Ore Dressing Plant in Gansu’s Jinta county.
Colleagues quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency said Xiao Jinpeng collapsed when the mobile phone suddenly exploded after apparently being exposed to high temperatures.
The exploded mobile phone was manufactured by Motorola. However, it has not yet been confirmed if the battery was an original Motorola battery.
A spokesman for Motorola, said it was “highly unlikely” that one of their products had been to blame; however, he said Mototola was cooperating with the authorities to determine the exact cause of the accident.
“Motorola’s priority is, and always has been, the safety of our customers, and all Motorola products are designed, manufactured and tested to meet or exceed international and local standards for consumer safety and performance,” Motorola spokesperson Jennifer Erickson told TechNewsWorld.
The local police and the Jinta County Public Security Bureau initial investigation report showed Xiao suffered broken ribs and battery fragments pierced his heart, resulting to his eventual death.
Police authorities are focusing their investigation on whether the battery had quality defects.
Chinese authorities have issued an advisory instructing cell phone users to minimize phone calls and to only use batteries from reputable manufacturers.
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