14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung recalled the Galaxy Note 7 almost a week ago and announced that it would provide users with replacements or full refunds. However, cases of Galaxy Note 7 units catching fire continue to surface online.
In a recent case, a user from Australia has reported that his Galaxy Note 7 caught fire while charging in his hotel room and that the bill for covering the damages was higher than $1,000. He got in touch with Samsung, which said that it would cover the bill, but unfortunately, he also suffered some minor burns on his finger when he tried to throw the burning phone off the bed.
Another more severe incident seems to have surfaced, this time from the US, where not many cases of Galaxy Note 7 units catching fire were reported. It all occurred in South Carolina and resulted in a house fire. Homeowner Wesley Hartzog told WMBF News that his garage caught fire over the weekend after he had left a Galaxy Note 7 smartphone to charge inside.
Samsung and the insurance company are investigating the incident
An air compressor was also plugged into the same power outlet, but the device was switched off. The man then left to pick up his daughters from school, only to find the garage burning when he returned.
It seems that the rest of the house didn't suffer major damage. Still, although the man wished to return to his home, he wasn't allowed to because of an ongoing investigation. The insurance company and Samsung want to determine if the fire was indeed caused by the phone or by another factor.
It's difficult to tell at this point, but more information will surely surface over the course of the next few weeks, when the investigation ends. It's worth mentioning that, at the time when the incident occurred, several days had passed since Samsung had issued the official recall and cautioned Note 7 owners that the batteries were faulty and that they could catch fire when charging.