Apple iPhone with damaged battery and screen catches fire inside repair shop (VIDEO)

An unsettling video obtained by ABC's Las Vegas affiliate KTNV shows an unknown Apple iPhone model suddenly bursting into flames inside a repair shop in Las Vegas. The unit in the video was in the shop to replace a bloated battery and a cracked screen that broke when the battery expanded. Paul Tartaglio who runs Gadget Repair in Las Vegas, which was not the shop in the video, says that the high triple digit temperatures in Vegas cause batteries to warp.

Tartaglio has two helpful tips for those who live in sweltering hot areas of the country. He says that phones should be kept out of direct sunlight during the summer. He also recommends that users make sure that they are not overcharging the battery. Failing to heed his warnings can result in shorter battery life, and in the worse case scenario, an explosion. Still, the phone technician says that when it comes to an iPhone, "It takes a lot for it to explode."


The technician also suggests that phone owners replace a defective battery with a replacement offered by the handset's manufacturer. Tartaglio says that batteries from the original manufacturer are more reliable than aftermarket batteries, and are often priced the same.

source: KTNV