HMD Global says it didn’t manufacture the Nokia 5233 that exploded in Odisha
The device exploded as a teenager talked on the phone while it was charging.
After the exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s in 2016, it seems the Nokia 5233 may be the next phone to join that category. Allegedly the Nokia phone exploded on a teenager's face while she was talking to her relative on the device. Some local news sources had reported that the phone was actually the Nokia 3310.
HMD Global stated that, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the unfortunate incident involving a 19-year-old girl that has been reported. As HMD Global, we are committed to producing high quality handsets which deliver a strong user experience and meet high customer expectations.”
According to the Metro UK, Uma was talking on the phone while it was charging when it suddenly exploded and left her unconscious. Since this resulted in severe injuries to her hands, legs and chest, she was rushed to the local hospital in Kheriakani. There, the 18 year old girl took her last breath.
The Nokia 5233 isn’t a device that’s manufactured or sold by HMD Global, Nokia Mobile’s current parent company. Their collaboration began on December 2016, which led to a whole new range of phones in the past two years.
What’s surprising is that despite being a Symbian-based smartphone from back in 2010, the device is still sold on Amazon India and Flipkart. Considering how old the device is, it’s doubtful that the ones sold on these portals have all of their original components.
This isn’t the first time that technology has caused such damage. There was the case last year where Apple users complained about their headphones exploding and another where sub-quality hover boards combusted.
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Prabhjote Gill is the Senior Journalist at Business Insider India. She covering everything space, tech and defence at Business Insider India. She is also in-charge of allocating stories to junior writers.