We could go on for days about all the reasons sleeping with your cell phone isn’t good for you (like how staring at a screen before bed makes it harder to fall asleep), but let’s be real: We all do it. Or we did, anyway, until we heard this teen’s crazy story.
Ariel Tolfree, 13, of Dallas, fell asleep with her Samsung Galaxy S4 under her pillow and awoke in the middle of the night to the smell of something burning. Not realizing the odor was coming from right next to her head (!), she tried to go back to sleep…until her phone literally caught fire. News footage reveals an almost unrecognizably melted case, scorched sheets, and a smoke-damaged mattress. The suspected source? An overheated battery, caused by the restricted airflow created when Ariel left her phone under the pillow overnight.
Interestingly, the Samsung user guide clearly stipulates that circumstances like these can cause the phone to overheat and start a fire. We’re just surprised it hasn’t happened sooner, considering all the #vamping going on these days. So far, Samsung’s standing behind their product—but they are replacing Ariel’s bedding. (How nice.)
Was this as much of a wake-up call for you as it was for us? Will you be changing your nocturnal phone habits? (May we suggest placing it just 12 inches away on your nightstand, perhaps?) Let’s talk in the comments below!
