Replaced Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Ignites on Airplane

Samsung announced recently that it had replaced over one million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones globally, asserting that these new units were free from the defects that led to the original recall. However, a newly replaced Galaxy Note 7 caught fire yesterday while an airplane was preparing for takeoff. Fortunately, the plane had not yet departed, all passengers were evacuated safely, and the flight was canceled.

The Galaxy Note 7 was expected to be Samsung’s flagship competitor to Apple’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but it quickly became one of the company’s biggest setbacks. Brian Green, the owner of the affected device, confirmed he received his replacement unit on September 21. Speaking to The Verge, he reported that his phone displayed a green battery icon and that the box featured a black square symbol, which Samsung uses to mark replacement units.

According to Green, the phone began to smoke after he powered it down while it still had 80 percent charge. He dropped the device onto the floor, where it released thick grey-green smoke, burned through the carpet, and scorched the subfloor of the aircraft. The Verge verified the device’s IMEI through Samsung’s recall eligibility checker, and the website indicated that this particular unit was not part of the global recall.

While isolated incidents do not necessarily indicate a widespread problem — for example, an iPhone 7 has also been reported to catch fire — the situation is particularly sensitive for the Galaxy Note 7 due to its troubled history. This latest event is likely to cause hesitation among consumers considering the replaced models. Samsung has not yet provided any official comment on the incident.