Two mobile-phone chargers catch fire within seven hours
Two mobile-phone chargers exploded within seven hours of each other, prompting fears about the safety of such devices, Ming Pao Daily reported Tuesday.
A fire broke out in a flat at Tsui Ping (North) Estate in Kwun Tong at around 6 a.m. Monday after a mobile-phone charger caught fire while in use.
A 38-year-old woman surnamed Lam was taken to hospital after inhaling smoke but was later discharged.
Lam, who lives with her mother and elder brother in the flat, bought the 5,000 mAh mobile-phone charger at a local shopping arcade.
About 40 residents of the block were evacuated to the ground floor because of the blaze.
An air conditioner from Lam's flat fell from a window, but no one was injured.
The charger reportedly belonged to one of the major brands, so the accident was unexpected.
Just seven hours earlier, at around 11 p.m. Sunday, a 41-year-old female MTR passenger, also surnamed Lam, had to throw a mobile-phone charger to the floor at the platform at Wan Chai Station after the device started giving off smoke.
Lam hopped on a train in panic.
MTR staff soon arrived with fire extinguishers, and police were called.
An MTR representative said staff at the station turned on the ventilation system immediately after they were notified of the accident.
They covered the burning mobile-phone charger with a piece of canvas before firefighters arrived.
Firefighters put out the fire, but burn marks can be seen on the platform floor, where the charger broke into pieces.
There was no disruption to train services, and the charger was handed to the relevant government department for examination, the MTR representative said.
Lam reportedly contacted the MTR later and confirmed ownership of the charger.
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