Samsung's worldwide recall for the Galaxy Note 7 was spurred by the growing number of incidents of the smartphone's battery exploding. While the faulty batteries were said to be found in a small percentage of the Galaxy Note 7 devices sold so far, the company decided to take the safer route and issued a global recall for all units of the smartphone.
Unfortunately, a 6-year-old boy from Brooklyn, New York, became a victim of the Galaxy Note 7 issue, as the smartphone exploded in his hands.
The boy was said to be using the Galaxy Note 7 to watch videos at his home in East Flatbush on the evening of Sept. 10. Suddenly, the battery of the smartphone exploded, sending the Galaxy Note 7 to flames.
According to the boy's grandmother, Linda Lewis, the explosion was violent enough to set off alarms in the house. The family was able to call 911 just before 8 p.m. The boy was rushed to Downstate Medical Center, where he received treatment for the burns he suffered on his hands and body.
"He is home now," said Lewis. "He doesn't want to see or go near any phones. He's been crying to his mother."
Samsung has reached out to the Lewis family regarding the incident and, in a statement, said that it is doing everything it could for the family and the boy.
"Customer safety remains our highest priority as we are investigating the matter," the company added.
The incident is the worst fear realized for Samsung, as the faulty batteries of the Galaxy Note 7 have the potential to not only destroy property but also cause injury.
Last week, a Galaxy Note 7 exploded while left charging in the center console of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Nathan Dornacher and his wife were unloading things from the vehicle, and when they came back, they found their Jeep engulfed in flames. Thankfully, there was nobody inside the vehicle when the fire broke out.
Samsung has requested Galaxy Note 7 owners to turn off their devices and have them replaced first, but some owners have not yet done so. Whether the decision to keep using the Galaxy Note 7 is an oversight or stubbornness, customers should realize the dangers of not heeding Samsung's warnings.
To ensure the safety of customers, there were rumors that Samsung might be planning to remotely deactivate recalled Galaxy Note 7 units that have not been exchanged for new ones after Sept. 30. The company has since refuted the claim, but hopefully no other people will be injured by the exploding batteries of the smartphone.
UPDATE: The smartphone that exploded in the hands of the 6-year-old boy was clarified by the mother to be a Samsung Galaxy Core, and not the recalled Galaxy Note 7.
