Drop that iPhone, like it's HOT (because it's on fire)!

Seriously, if you’re iPhone is on fire, you might want to drop it… like it’s hot. Immediately.

While flame-engulfed iPhones are more the exception than the norm, Tim Colburne recently found himself in that rarest of minorities when his iPhone caught fire. Colburne plugged in his iPhone for a little recharging action, only to find that the charger had sparked a fire three hours into the charge-cycle.

“The fire started in the space between the lead and the phone and resulted in a couple of pins fusing together,” Colburne said on his blog. “Although the main functions of the phone are apparently unaffected, the device won’t connect to the computer which means I can neither charge it nor transfer data. Result: one dead iPhone.”

So, the good news is that the iPhone charger-fire left the iPhone functional. The bad news is that the fried dock connector prevents any recharging of the iPhone. Great.

Colburne managed to hunt down another iPhone-on-fire incidient in Sweden back in 2008, so he’s at least part of a 2-person minority with flaming iPhones. And, as far as we know, there’s been one other incident involving a super-heated iPhone and some guy’s burned thigh.

Anyone else out there find their iPhone getting too hot to handle?

[Via: CultOfMac]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

Nikki

I went to the Apple store yesterday because my first iphone went up in flames…they gave me a replacement. within 2 hours of having the replacement it also went up into flames they gave me another replacement. They said it was my computer causing the problem. So I didn’t hook the phone up to my computer and I turned it off overnight. When I turned it on this morning it burst into flames. What will Apple do now? hmmm
joe

You too!?!? I’m on my 3rd one as well and that connector could cook food it gets so hot! The last 2 also burst into flames at the SAME spot and if I werent there or sleeping who knows what could have happened.
Pano

I Have my iPhone now for 1 Month and it works very good and I´am very happy with it…
majd

stop lien jerks i have my iphone 4 over 2 years now and it’s allway’s hooked 2 my computer and nothing happend
CD

The only reason I found this page was because….Yes, you guessed it! Mine was docked here at my work and started smoking like crazy. My screen is now black and won’t turn on/reset. I have a 1st gen iPhone and have had it for over 2yrs now. So I guess it was time to upgrade anyway. But still, its kind of scary. What if it was docked while I was asleep!?!?
Lain

My friend also had a 1st gen phone, one day it got really hot, then it got so hot it melted the greenday signatures on the back! What the hell is going on with these phones? I had really wanted one, but I think I’ll have to go with a cooler product.
Nikki Gedney

My Phone just caught on fire 2 days ago.. I am so upset!! Lucky my fiances phone alarm went off.. I reached over for mine, next to my bed of course and dropped it immediately cause it burnt my finger (which blistered my finger).. I jumped up pulled the plug out of the wall! It looks almost identical to the picture above!! I am so upset if i didn’t wake up who knows what could have happened.. My babies bed is also right next to ours!! I just want people to be careful!! My house could have burnt down!!! I am worried that someone could get very hurt!!
nancy

i’m so glad to read all of your stories. i went to unplug my adapter and my whole wall went up in flames. apple sent me a new adapter but still have not heard from them yet i also burnt my hand. what do you think i should do keeep waiting!!!!!
j@y2kool

i was at school today and i was sitting in class and my iphone just started smoking in my pocket and when i tried to grab it,it burnt my hand now my iphone is cooked
Diamond

It sucks for you people y did u buy an iphone 4 why no the 3rd or under those r fantastic just because u cant be one facebook twiter myspace all at the same time QUALITY COUNTS NOT GOD DAMN QUANTITY SO STOP WHINING AND DO SOMETHING CRY BABIES!!!
KATEBUEHRENS

THIS JUST HAPPENED TO ME! Almost an identical picture! same spot on the usb cord. Apple it not being helpful at all! Anyone else this happend to please contact me immediately!
Mellissari2003

This has also happened to me!! My photo is also identical. Lucky for me my phone was not attached when it happened so the phone is ok. Took the charger to my local Rogers dealer and he said it was not the first he has seen!!! SCARY!!!