The image above is reportedly a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was acting as a charger for a defective Samsung Galaxy Note 7. Luckily no one was injured in the blaze, and it has not been confirmed that the Note 7 started the fire, however, the phone in question was apparently being charged.
The owner, a man from Florida, claimed he was not aware of the recall or the danger of charging the device. The specifics of this case will eventually be determined, but this isn’t the first near-miss involving a Note 7. An Australian man had his device burst into flames whilst staying in a Perth Hotel, damaging the hotel room, as well as the device obviously.
We have commented that Samsung has done a good job of “getting in front” of the battery issue, admitting there is a problem, enacting, in Australia at least, an official recall and offering several options for customers to get a new device or their money back. However, the Florida incident, if true, shows what happens when not every Note 7 owner on the planet knows there is an issue.
Enter a potential solution. Perhaps Samsung should send out an OTA software update that will disable every affected device. If this can be done, which we believe it can be, this would reduce the number of faulty active units in the market. Sure even this measure won’t get 100% of devices but it is just one more way Samsung can try and ensure that no serious incidents occur. So far all we’ve had is a few near misses, no significant injury, I truly hope it stays that way.
If you know anyone who has a Galaxy Note 7 now is the time that they STOP using the device. The warnings from Samsung, and the evidence of incidents is clear enough the it’s time to admit that no phone, even one as great as the Note 7, is worth the risk.
