A woman in Dongguan, Guangdong province, suffered severe burns after her mobile phone caught fire while charging overnight as she fell asleep scrolling through it, local media reported.
The victim, surnamed Chen, was burned awake by the fire and fled her rented flat. Despite the fire being confined to about one square metre, she sustained two level-six disabilities and one level-nine disability, with none of her ten fingers left intact.
Her initial treatment cost more than 300,000 yuan, with further long-term rehabilitation needed.
Chen sued the online seller of the phone and her landlord. The court ruled that the seller was 60 percent liable due to product defects and must pay over 630,000 yuan in compensation. Chen was found 40 percent liable for negligence. The sub-landlord was ordered to bear up to 10 percent of any shortfall if the seller cannot pay.
