One can never be too sure about the veracity of reports that come from the Chinese press, but I can't seen any reason to specifically doubt this one, which says that an exploding mobile phone has killed a man in Guangzhou, China, after a fragment severed an artery in the man's neck.
According to reports, a computer shop employee had likely finished charging a replacement battery and, after putting the battery in the handset and dropping it into his shirt pocket, the whole affair exploded. A bang was heard and another shop employee found him lying in a pool of blood on the floor.
This is the ninth publicized cell phone explosion in China since 2002 and the second fatal incident, following a similar case that occurred in 2007.
Because details about the phone and battery haven't been released, it's difficult to analyze what exactly went wrong, but past cases like these have typically revolved around faulty batteries, not phones, much like in the case of the recent laptop battery fires and recalls. The real problem involves off-brand, third-party batteries, which are frequently not built to the same standards that most original manufacturers require. In the case of the 2007 explosion, excessive heat from an iron mill is believed to have been the catalyst for the catastrophe.
Advice provided by the Chinese media is just as good over here: Don't use third-party batteries and always use the original charger as well (aftermarket chargers may not run at the proper electrical specs). As with all electronics, keep the temperature under control and -- it should go without saying -- if your cell phone heats up to the point where it's uncomfortably hot to the touch, turn it off immediately and remove the battery (and consider replacing it).
