Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphones are back in the news after one of the phones reportedly caught fire on a Southwest Airlines flight Wednesday while the plane was still at the gate in Louisville, Kentucky. The Note7 was recalled on September 15 after a series of explosions. According to initial press reports, this new fire involved one of the replacement phones issued to Note7 owners in the past few weeks.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says it is now gathering information. “CPSC is moving expeditiously to investigate this incident," the agency said in a statement. "Agency staff has already reached out to the FAA and Samsung to gather the facts about the incident. Agency staff will also reach out to the consumer who experienced a serious incident with his phone.”
In Consumer Reports' experience, it is unusual for there to be a problem with a replacement product resulting from a recall.
If there is a problem with the replacement phones, this will be just the latest in a string of serious stumbles for Samsung. The Note7 was introduced in August as a flagship model, but sales were quickly halted after the fires surfaced and were linked to the phone's battery. By the time the recall was announced, more than 90 incidents had been confirmed. Adding to the company's problems were the reports of exploding washing machines, a situation Consumer Reports is continuing to monitor.
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Earlier today, Samsung issued this statement: "Until we are able to retrieve the device, we cannot confirm that this incident involves the new Note7. We are working with the authorities and Southwest now to recover the device and confirm the cause. Once we have examined the device we will have more information to share."
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