Maine Teen Hospitalized After iPhone Catches Fire in Pocket

13 Year Old Hospitalized After iPhone Catches Fire in Back Pocket

Facts:

Aftermath of iPhone fire

• iPhone caught fire in girl's back pocket
• This is not the first report of Apple products catching fire
• In 2011, iPod Nano devices were recalled due to battery overheating

A Maine teen was hospitalized today after her green iPhone 5c caught fire in her back pocket.  The girl, whose name was withheld by her mother, had reportedly just sat down for class at approximately 7:40 AM when the girl heard a loud pop come from her pocket, whence she immediately performed a "stop, drop, and roll" maneuver. The boys were asked to leave the class, at which time the young lady removed her smoking pants. A teacher immediately gave the young woman a blanket in order to cover herself. The girl was then taken to a local hospital where she was treated for burns and released less than an hour later. 

Andrew Palmeri, division chief of the local EMS, told Seacoast Online that the phone's battery had, most likely, "shorted out." He also stated that the phone and the phone's battery may have been crushed under the weight of the girl as it had been placed in her back pocket.

The girl's mother, Judy Milligan, stated, "I was a little bit in shock" after learning of the fire. She had reportedly given the device as a gift to her daughter two months prior. 

Green iPhone 5c

The iPhone uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that cannot be removed without tools. These batteries are known to overheat over extended use. 

In 2012, CCTV showed video of a 17 year old's iPhone 4 catching fire in his back pocket after exiting a van. Late 2011, a woman was awakened by iPhone 4 after it caught fire while charging. Also in 2011, just days before the iPhone charging incident, an iPhone smoked and emanated a red glow on an Australian flight before flight attendants were able to put it out on the airplane. 

Apple's PR department was not readily available to comment on this situation, and no public statement has been made as of yet.