Southwest Airlines was forced to evacuate a flight from Louisville to Baltimore this morning before it hit the runway, thanks to a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that caught fire.
Explosive Note 7 units have been reported around the globe thanks to faulty lithium-ion batteries. In this instance though, the Galaxy Note 7 in question was a replacement unit that the owner received after Samsung issued its global recall.
[contextly_auto_sidebar]”All passengers and crew exited the plane via the main cabin door and no injuries were reported,” a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told The Verge.
The owner of the Galaxy Note 7 said he got the new phone on September 21st at an AT&T store. Before the flight left the gate, the owner says he powered it down and put it in his pocket when it started smoking.
Thick grey-green smoke poured out of the device after the owner dropped it on the floor. In a matter of moments it had burned through the plane’s carpet. Luckily it occurred at the gate instead of mid-flight.
The battery was at 80% when it was powered off and Samsung’s wireless charger was the only device used to charge it. Louisville Fire Department’s arson unit seized the device for investigation, while the owner already switched to an iPhone 7.
