According to If, this poses a risk as it has happened on several occasions that mobile devices have started to catch fire due to overheating during charging. Recently, an apartment was completely destroyed due to an iPod that was left charging overnight.
– We have received indications earlier that there may be overheating in batteries. But now, for the first time in Sweden, we have a case with a unit that caught fire and destroyed an entire apartment. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the incident is so serious that we call for increased caution when charging, says Caroline Uliana, head of information at If.
If states that in extreme cases the batteries in mobile devices can overheat and start to burn, it is especially risky to let the device charge in a bed, armchair or other flammable material.
The participants gave the following answers in the survey:
Does it happen that you charge your mobile phone/reading tablet at night?
- Yes, always – 47%
- Yes, sometimes – 41%
- No, never – 12%
The survey is based on interviews with 3,768 people during the period September to October.