Overview
- A cellphone that had been left charging exploded and started a fire inside a house on Mariquita Sánchez 600 in the LU4 neighborhood of Comodoro Rivadavia, authorities reported.
- The device reportedly ignited the blaze while the homeowner slept, with the fire beginning around 5 p.m. on Thursday and spreading through parts of the interior.
- Bomberos Voluntarios and agents from Seccional Tercera responded and extinguished the flames minutes after arriving, and the homeowner escaped without physical injuries.
- Investigators are treating a battery or device malfunction after prolonged charging as the leading hypothesis but say they are still determining the precise origin and full consequences.
- Coverage and experts highlighted practical safety steps such as using original or certified chargers, charging on hard ventilated surfaces, avoiding covered or unattended charging, and installing smoke detectors because lithium‑ion batteries can overheat if heat cannot escape.