Charging Phone "Popped" and Sparked an SF House Fire, Sending 2 to Hospital
A cellphone that was charging malfunctioned and 'popped,' starting a fire at a house at 50 Corona St. in San Francisco's Ingleside Terraces around 5:50 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, the Fire Department said. Crews contained it within 10 minutes; two people went to the hospital with minor smoke inhalation injuries.
By the Bay Area Brief staff · Edited by Seamus McKenna · · 2 min read
Mission Dolores Park and the downtown San Francisco skyline on a clear day. Photo: 4300streetcar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped, resized and color-graded). Archive photo of the area; not a photo of the events in this story.
A charging cellphone started a house fire in San Francisco's Ingleside Terraces neighborhood early Monday, Oct. 19, sending two people to the hospital with minor smoke inhalation injuries, the San Francisco Fire Department said.
Why it matters: Fire officials said the phone malfunctioned and "popped" while charging, leading to an instant fire, a reminder to watch devices that charge overnight.
What happened
The fire broke out around 5:50 a.m. at 50 Corona St., SFFD Lt. Ken Smith told the Chronicle.
Firefighters found heavy flames and smoke at the back of the house and contained it within 10 minutes.
The fire was in a rear room, SFist reported, citing the Fire Department.
Officials asked people to avoid Corona Street while crews cleared the scene.
Charging safety basics
Fire safety agencies generally advise using the charger made for your device, not charging on beds or couches, and unplugging any device that gets hot, swells or smells of burning.
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