A Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone, issued as a replacement for the recalled version of the device, exploded this morning during boarding of Southwest Airlines Flight 994 in Louisville, according to a local media report. No injuries were reported, but the incident generated enough smoke to force the evacuation of the plane and cancel the flight to Baltimore.
Sarah Green told The Courier-Journal that the phone was a replacement for the Galaxy Note 7 phones Samsung recalled in mid-September. She said she and her husband Brian took the recalled phone to a local AT&T Store to have it replaced about two weeks ago.
Ms. Green, who was not travelling with her husband, told the paper that he borrowed a phone from another passenger to call and tell her what happened this morning. He had just powered down the phone and put it in his pocket when it made a popping noise and started smoking. He pulled the phone from his pocket and threw it to the ground, she said.
“There is no evidence that this incident is related to the new Note7. We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the device and confirm the cause,” Samsung said in a statement.
In mid-September 2016, after 92 incidents of overheating batteries that exploded or caught fire causing 26 injuries and 55 cases of property damage were reported, Samsung issued a recall for 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones.
Companies sued in product liability cases include the manufacturer of the defective product, the wholesaler or distributor of the product and often the retailer of the product. If you have been injured by a defective Galaxy Note 7 phone, contact our experienced attorneys for a free consultation .