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It was the sound that came first. Pop\u2026pop\u2026pop\u2026pop.<\/p>\n
In the middle of the night, the man\u2019s partner woke up to what \u201csounded like popcorn popping in the microwave,\u201d he told us. At first, the woman didn\u2019t register what was going on, then she realized the popping sound was coming from her phone<\/a>, a Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus that she had put on charge before going to bed, and one that was now sizzling on her carpet.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/p>\n Less than two minutes passed from the moment the couple noticed the Galaxy S25 Plus in flames to the moment the fire was tamed. But from what the user has told us, the damage \u2014 physical, emotional, and psychological \u2014 has stretched far beyond that night.<\/p>\n The user, who asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, agreed to speak with Android Authority to help others understand what it\u2019s really like when a modern smartphone suffers a catastrophic battery fire, and what people should, and shouldn\u2019t, do if it ever happens to them.<\/p>\n While smartphone battery fires are not very common, and there\u2019s no evidence to suggest that this is a widespread issue with Samsung phones on the market, the user\u2019s experience is an important reminder of what can go wrong when a phone does catch fire, and how to react in a situation like this.<\/p>\n This report is based on an interview conducted by Android Authority, official fire department documents reviewed by us, written communication between the user and Samsung, and Samsung\u2019s acknowledgment of the incident.<\/p>\n The fire<\/p>\n When a fire breaks out, instinct takes over. Most people reach for water without even thinking about whether that\u2019s the best way to put out the flames. That\u2019s exactly what the user did, and, in hindsight, it\u2019s the one decision he wishes he had made differently.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I saw the smoke coming from the phone, my first reaction was to pour water on it,\u201d the user told us. \u201cThen I wet some T-shirts I had nearby and threw them on the device.\u201d<\/p>\n If your phone caught fire while charging, what would you do first?<\/p>\n 686 votes<\/p>\n Pour water on it.<\/p>\n 5%<\/p>\n Try to smother it with cloth or clothing.<\/p>\n 34%<\/p>\n Move it away from people and get out.<\/p>\n 39%<\/p>\n Call emergency services immediately.<\/p>\n 10%<\/p>\n Honestly, I wouldn\u2019t know what to do.<\/p>\n 12%<\/p>\n While this luckily worked and the user managed to control the fire quickly, it was far from ideal. The visible flames died down, but the reaction inside the battery continued.<\/p>\n \u201cThe device continued smoking for another 15 to 20 minutes,\u201d he said. It was a bit of a blur after that, he said, as he managed to take the phone outside and emergency services started arriving.<\/p>\n Even though the fire itself had already been extinguished, the police dispatcher the user first contacted told him that a fire truck still needed to be sent for inspection. A crew of firefighters arrived and began investigating, but because the fire involved a lithium-ion battery<\/a>, they escalated the situation further.<\/p>\n A bomb squad was dispatched to a family home in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n \u201cThe firemen then called for an arson investigator,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd for the fire department to take possession of the device, the arson investigator had to call in the bomb squad.\u201d<\/p>\n Let that sink in for a minute. A bomb squad was dispatched to a family home in the middle of the night, all because a phone was left charging<\/a> with its official accessories. Still, the user says that wasn\u2019t the scariest part of the night.<\/p>\n \u201cThe scariest moment is realizing that my family inhaled a lot of lithium smoke and not knowing how it will affect our health years from now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n According to the official fire department investigation report, which Android Authority has reviewed, the phone\u2019s lithium-ion battery entered a thermal runaway event while charging on the bedroom carpet, igniting the surrounding flooring. The incident was classified as accidental, and the fire department said the fire originated inside the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus itself.\u00a0But there\u2019s a lot that happened before that official report came in.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d never heard the term thermal runaway before this,\u201d the user said. \u201cBut after doing research and watching videos, it lined up exactly with what we experienced.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Samsung\u2019s official statement to Android Authority paints a different picture. The company told us that according to its analysis, the cause of the incident was \u201cexternal force.\u201d However, Samsung also admits it lacked sufficient evidence to reach this conclusion and determine what was ultimately responsible for the incident.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile our analysis concluded external force was the cause, there was insufficient evidence to determine what was responsible for this isolated incident. We remain in contact with our customer to reach a resolution,\u201d Samsung stated.<\/p>\n The investigation<\/p>\n Official Fire Department report<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a lot of waiting,\u201d the user told us. According to both the fire and police departments, this was the first time they had ever worked together to file an incident report. What followed was a long and unfamiliar process that required patience at every step.<\/p>\n Once the bomb squad took charge of the burnt device, it was sealed and stored in a hazardous waste facility, probably following local lithium-ion battery safety protocols.<\/p>\n Retrieving the phone from the hazardous waste facility once the investigation was concluded was anything but smooth. The user spent nearly three hours waiting at police headquarters while officers figured out which form was required. One admitted he had never handled a form request like this in more than a decade on the force.<\/p>\n \u201cBasically, nobody knew who I needed to talk to in order to get the release document,\u201d he said, showing just how unprepared official systems are for incidents like phone fires, and how much persistence it takes for an ordinary person to follow every step by the book. Most people would have just given up and junked their phones, but not this user.<\/p>\n Dealing with Samsung<\/p>\n Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n Once the fire investigation concluded that the incident was caused by the Galaxy S25\u2019s battery overheating, it was time to reach out to Samsung. The user told us that their experience dealing with the company\u2019s customer support has been \u201cpretty poor overall.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrying to get a hold of someone who can assist with our situation proved to be unnecessarily difficult. We initially contacted Samsung via WhatsApp, but after spending nearly an hour going back and forth with the WhatsApp representative, we were advised that the WhatsApp team only served Singapore. We then found Samsung\u2019s CEO Office Email link and were able to get our concern escalated relatively quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe initial claims manager was great. Courteous. Prompt updates,\u201d the user said. But things apparently changed when the case moved to Samsung\u2019s insurance representatives.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s when the tone shifted,\u201d the user said. \u201cMy inquiries kept being met with \u2018I don\u2019t know\u2019 or \u2018I\u2019m not sure.\u2019 I felt like I was being stonewalled.\u201d<\/p>\n The user claims Samsung eventually admitted liability and agreed to cover costs for the phone itself, medical bills, lost wages, and cleanup expenses. He says those updates were provided to them in a timely fashion for the most part.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t surprised they admitted liability,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I am deeply disappointed in their offer. Offering $500 per person for toxic chemical inhalation feels like an insult when their faulty hardware directly jeopardized my family\u2019s future health,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The user says the incident has left a lasting psychological impact on him and his family.<\/p>\n In his view, Samsung has handled the visible damage but failed to acknowledge the invisible cost \u2014 fear, mental trauma, and long-term health uncertainty.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very active in fitness and meditation,\u201d he said. \u201cBut since the fire, my lung capacity has noticeably decreased.\u201d \u201cWe still experience sudden flashes of internal heat throughout the day,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The psychological impact has been just as lasting.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve become much more wary of charging devices at night,\u201d he said. \u201cBut my partner has been truly traumatized. She refuses to charge her phone unless she is awake and nearby to monitor it.\u201d<\/p>\n At night, she now stores her phone inside a silicone container, not because anyone told her to, but because it helps her feel safe enough to sleep.<\/p>\n Because of these reasons, and the impact the incident has had on the user and his family, he feels the reparations Samsung has offered to date aren\u2019t fair.<\/p>\n \u201cA fair resolution would actually acknowledge the long-term health risks and the trauma they caused,\u201d he said. \u201cNot a nuisance payment.\u201d<\/p>\n The learning<\/p>\n The user did many things right. Things most people wouldn\u2019t think to do in the middle of a crisis. He immediately contacted the police department to make sure the incident was officially documented. That decision triggered a chain of investigations involving the fire department, arson investigators, bomb squad, and Samsung itself.<\/p>\n Given this can happen to phones from any brand, not just Samsung, knowing these steps can make a critical difference, helping authorities document what happened and ensuring the manufacturer, whoever it is, responds to your claims.<\/p>\n That said, the user wishes he had done some things better.<\/p>\n \u201cDO NOT USE WATER TO PUT OUT A LITHIUM FIRE! I wish I knew that prior to this incident, but I learned about this from the firemen after I put out the fire. I also wish there were clearer resources on what to do immediately after inhaling lithium smoke,\u201d he said<\/p>\n Lithium-ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish and can reignite even after flames appear to be out.<\/p>\n Fire safety authorities generally advise<\/a> that lithium-ion battery fires are difficult to extinguish and can reignite even after flames appear to be out. The priority, when possible, is to create distance, avoid inhaling fumes, and let trained responders handle the situation, especially indoors. According to fire safety protocols<\/a>, a direct attack with water is preferred, but only with full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and a facepiece. In this case, the user just poured water on the burning phone, without any safety equipment, which could have resulted in much graver physical injuries.<\/p>\n The user doesn\u2019t believe most people should panic about their phones. But he does believe people should be informed.<\/p>\n \u201cThese incidents are rare, but when they happen, the lack of clear safety information is terrifying,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n His trust in Samsung is certainly shaken, even though he initially thought that this was an isolated event.<\/p>\n \u201cI realized this is a pattern for us: our previous Galaxy S22 devices both experienced battery swelling within a year of each other. It\u2019s shocking that in 2025, after the Note 7 disaster, Samsung still hasn\u2019t mastered basic battery safety,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n What to do if your phone catches fire<\/p>\n Andy Walker \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n If your phone ever catches fire, here are some steps you can take to handle the situation effectively or prevent it from happening in the first place.<\/p>\n Before: Lower the risk<\/p>\n Use original or reputable brand-name chargers and cables. During: Put safety first<\/p>\n Move people away immediately and avoid inhaling smoke or fumes. After: Document and escalate<\/p>\n Seek medical attention if anyone inhaled smoke.![\"google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1768233971_656_google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\"\/ "\\"google"){kind=icon}
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\nStop using damaged accessories or phones with swollen batteries.
\nDon\u2019t charge devices on beds, sofas, carpets, or under pillows.
\nAvoid charging unattended or overnight when possible.<\/p>\n
\nDon\u2019t touch a burning or smoking phone with your bare hands.
\nIf possible, create distance and call emergency services rather than handling it yourself.
\nAvoid using water to extinguish the fire indoors. Lithium-ion batteries can behave unpredictably.<\/p>\n
\nContact authorities so the incident is officially recorded.
\nDo not discard the device carelessly. Follow hazardous material guidance.
\nMost importantly, document everything and request a formal investigation from the manufacturer.<\/p>\n