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'Huge flame of fire': Teen's painful burns after his iPhone battery explodes


A teenager is lucky to still have his eyesight after his iPhone battery exploded.

Jay Watson, from Dakabin north of Brisbane, ended up with burns to his chest and singed his hair after he tried changing the battery of his iPhone 6 on Sunday night without his shirt on.

“It was a bang and a huge flame of fire,” Jay, 15, said.

“It actually singed the top line of my hair.”

Dakabin teen Jay Watson, 15, tried changing his iPhone 6 battery only for it to explode and burn his chest (pictured). Source: 7 News
Jay Watson, 15, tried changing his iPhone 6 battery only for it to explode and burn his chest (pictured). Source: 7 News

The acid from the battery spat at his chest burning him.

The teenager’s mum Kari Lashbrook said she never anticipated “anything like that would happen”.

Battery World’s Angeo Kollbrunner said the batteries were “absolutely safe” if handled correctly.

“When you manipulate any lithium-ion battery, they’re highly dangerous,” he said.

Jay said he bent his phone’s battery and “it exploded”.

Dakabin boy's iPhone 6 battery explodes near Brisbane
The teen said the explosion also singed his hair. Source: 7 News
Dakabin boy's iPhone 6 battery explodes near Brisbane
Jay was rushed to hospital. He is seen here holding the charred pieces following the explosion. Source: 7 News

He was rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for emergency treatment on Sunday but did not need to be kept overnight.

His mum is thankful his injuries were not worse.

“He could have lost his eyesight if splats of acid had actually hit his eyes as opposed to his chest,” Ms Lashbrook said.

It seems Jay has learned his lesson though.

“Curiosity killed the cat, curiosity actually burned me,” he said.

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Dakabin boy's iPhone 6 battery explodes near Brisbane
Jay shows his bandages to his mum, Kari Lashbrook. Source: 7 News