A Samsung Galaxy J7 smartphone reportedly caught fire on a Delhi-Indore flight on October 20. The smartphone belonged to a Delhi resident, Arpita Dhal. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the smartphone was kept in her handbag which was placed under her seat. About 15 minutes into the flight, Dhal noticed smoke rising from her handbag and called the cabin crew for help.
The Galaxy J7 was kept along with three other smartphones in the bag. The fire extinguishers onboard were not working and the flight crew decided to dump the phone in water to stop the fire. As a precaution, other two phones were also submerged in a water-filled tray.
A spokesperson for Jet Airways said that the device has been confiscated and will be returned after a complete investigation. “Jet Airways crew immediately took charge of the situation, as also all necessary steps as precautionary measure, and as per the prescribed guidelines,” the spokesperson told Hindustan Times. A Samsung India spokesperson said, “We are in touch with relevant authorities for more information. At Samsung, customer safety is top priority.”
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was banned in flights after it caught fire on a Singapore-India bound flight. The smartphone was reported to be the cause of 35 similar global incidences and after their investigations, the company said that it was an issue with its battery cell. The company had to recall 2.5 million Note 7 smartphones sold to customers worldwide.