Second iPhone battery fire in two days affects Spanish Apple store

Posted:
in iPhone
Apple's Calle Colon store in Valencia, Spain was evacuated on Wednesday after an iPhone's battery exploded during repair, filling one floor of the building with smoke.




The incident took place at 1:30 in the afternoon, according to Las Provincias. Firefighters and police were called but reportedly didn't intervene, as Apple workers managed to air out the store by opening windows and smothering the battery with sand.

There also don't appear to have been any injuries, despite the battery exploding instead of simply burning.

On Tuesday, an Apple employee received minor burns when an iPhone battery caught fire at a store in Zurich, Switzerland. In total seven people required medical help, though no one had to be hospitalized.

The two fires could be connected to Apple's discounted replacements in the wake of admitting it slows down iPhones with weak batteries. A higher number of people are likely bringing in iPhones for service, increasing the odds of trouble, especially with components as volatile as lithium-ion batteries.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    Ruh roh!
    zroger73
  • Reply 2 of 29
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    dewmenetmagekseczroger73jdgazwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 3 of 29
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    The adhesive on my 6 was no joke when I replaced my battery. I would love to see how Apple techs actually service these things in real life. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 29
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    zroger73watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 29
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    Ruh roh!
    What are you implying with your snark?
  • Reply 6 of 29
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    Replacing the kind of lithium battery-ion batteries used in any product that is not designed with user-replaceable batteries is a challenge that should not be taken lightly. These batteries are delicate and not encapsulated in a hardened protective package designed for handling. They rely on the product's case/chassis to protect the battery from the kind of flexing and physical damage that can cause the battery to leak or discharge catastrophically. We can certainly speculate that Apple's very low battery replacement offer is causing a flood of battery replacements in a short time frame. However, I'd bet that the ratio of battery fires for DIY and non-authorized service providers is significantly higher what is experienced at Apple Stores and Apple authorized service providers, and issues experienced by non-Apple approved service providers are likely never reported. 

    I am definitely going to take advantage of the $29 battery replacement for my 6+ even though I've experienced zero battery related problems so far. But I'll wait a few months for the current rush to subside. When I was at an Apple Store today there was a fairly steady stream of folks dropping off and picking up iPhones related to battery replacement. A fair bit of whining to be heard as well because the expected wait was about 3 hours. Apple must have bumped up the staffing a bit because the Apple Store staff seemed to be doing a really good job of processing the flood of service requests. 

    BTW, saw one AirPods package sitting on the shelf for sale even though the online store is quoting Jan 25-29 deliveries. The staff was speculating about how many more minutes it would last. The stores always seem to get a trickle of new products even when the online sales channel is backed up.
    pscooter63numenoreanh2pwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 29
    Scary that this happens enough that they have sand on hand.

    I think I’ll let Apple replace my battery ; )

    I thought they had a robot doing this...?
  • Reply 8 of 29
    Some people try and scrape the battery out with something metal big mistake. You just peel the rubber adhesive strips right out even though it seems like they would tear you just pull really hard and they come off from under the battery. I suppose in this case maybe they tore and that’s why a risky removal was needed.
    numenoreanwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 29
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    lkrupp said:
    Ruh roh!
    What are you implying with your snark?
    Snark? Seemed more like a humorous jest to me. Maybe you’re jsut a bit sensitive?
    netmagezroger73
  • Reply 10 of 29
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    lkrupp said:
    Ruh roh!
    What are you implying with your snark?
    I don’t think he was implying anything. 

    But it seems that Apple trains store personnel in dealing with battery fires. Alarming that this is needed. Is there anything in the pipeline that is safer than Lithium Ion?
    edited January 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 29
    croprcropr Posts: 1,122member
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    Apple has designed the iPhone in such a way that a battery replacement is difficult, even for a trained technician.  Apple has blundered by  being silent about the throttling.   So Apple is 100% responsible for the mess.  Don't blame the pissed customer for a so-called unnecessary battery replacement.  Your biased view is not in line with the facts
    [Deleted User]
  • Reply 12 of 29
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    cropr said:
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    Apple has designed the iPhone in such a way that a battery replacement is difficult, even for a trained technician.  Apple has blundered by  being silent about the throttling.   So Apple is 100% responsible for the mess.  Don't blame the pissed customer for a so-called unnecessary battery replacement.  Your biased view is not in line with the facts
    Since you don’t actually know what happened then your biased view also doesn’t line up with facts. 
    equality72521macxpressdewmetmayStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 29
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,622member
    Rayz2016 said:
    lkrupp said:
    Ruh roh!
    What are you implying with your snark?
    I don’t think he was implying anything. 

    But it seems that Apple trains store personnel in dealing with battery fires. Alarming that this is needed. 
    It's more a standard safety measure than alarming.

    Sand, chalk powder or vermiculite are recommended to have on hand in case of accidental leakage while working with lithium batteries.

    In case of thermal runaway , standard extinguishing substances can be used and I think water is one of the recommendations. The idea being that water would cool any cells surrounding the cells that caused the incident, and hopefully prevent them from adding to the problem.

    What I'm not so clear on is if this is a simple safety measure or a requirement. I wonder if employees are required to wear any kind of protective clothing too.
    numenorean
  • Reply 14 of 29
    Scary that this happens enough that they have sand on hand.

    I think I’ll let Apple replace my battery ; )

    I thought they had a robot doing this...?
    You mean Liam? I think he's just for dismantling the iPhones for recycling purposes. 
  • Reply 15 of 29
    petripetri Posts: 118member
    Rayz2016 said:
    cropr said:
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    Apple has designed the iPhone in such a way that a battery replacement is difficult, even for a trained technician.  Apple has blundered by  being silent about the throttling.   So Apple is 100% responsible for the mess.  Don't blame the pissed customer for a so-called unnecessary battery replacement.  Your biased view is not in line with the facts
    Since you don’t actually know what happened then your biased view also doesn’t line up with facts. 
    That’s nonsense.  It’s a fact that Apple chose to make these batteries non user serviceable, it’s a fact that they glue them into the phones, and it’s a fact that the batteries they fit
    have little if any protection against accidental twisting, bending, penetration etc, any of which could end up causing an explosion or fire - so yes Apple are responsible for the increased risk of events like these.  Apple are also responsible for implementing software slowdowns without telling anyone AND giving the user no indication in software either that their phones are being throttled OR that their batteries are healthy or unhealthy - hence creating this whole situation.  These are facts, no bias required.
    edited January 2018 muthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 16 of 29
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    I think the problem is they are filled with massive orders, they cant follow the proper procedure. Heating the phone, melt the glue and take it apart should be a 99.99% save operation. However if you have to forcefully take the battery out because the glue has not been fully melted, it will likely ( especially with older battery ) causes a slight fire or burn, as I have experienced.

    Note: The glue was designed to be heated up and melt easily within a reasonable temperature, the procedure in itself should not heat up the batteries and causes explosion of any kind.
    edited January 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 29
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    petri said:
    Rayz2016 said:
    cropr said:
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    Apple has designed the iPhone in such a way that a battery replacement is difficult, even for a trained technician.  Apple has blundered by  being silent about the throttling.   So Apple is 100% responsible for the mess.  Don't blame the pissed customer for a so-called unnecessary battery replacement.  Your biased view is not in line with the facts
    Since you don’t actually know what happened then your biased view also doesn’t line up with facts. 
    That’s nonsense.  It’s a fact that Apple chose to make these batteries non user serviceable, it’s a fact that they glue them into the phones, and it’s a fact that the batteries they fit
    have little if any protection against accidental twisting, bending, penetration etc, any of which could end up causing an explosion or fire - so yes Apple are responsible for the increased risk of events like these.  Apple are also responsible for implementing software slowdowns without telling anyone AND giving the user no indication in software either that their phones are being throttled OR that their batteries are healthy or unhealthy - hence creating this whole situation.  These are facts, no bias required.
    Um the batteries are not glued into phones. They're held in with 3M Command strips. Its not like its superglued into the phone and you have to almost damage the battery in order to get it out.

    You're also making a lot of assumptions in your post without facts to back them up, but you're so far to the left thinking Apple is totally in the wrong no matter what, it doesn't matter what anyone tells you. I guess Apple was better off to just let your phone die instantly...Yeah thats a better idea! 
    edited January 2018 StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 29
    Reports on replacement attempts in the US indicate Apple’s policy is not to try to replace swollen batteries, but instead to replace the entire phone. Wonder if the policy is being followed everywhere.
  • Reply 19 of 29
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    lkrupp said:
    Ruh roh!
    What are you implying with your snark?
    A Scooby Doo impression, I believe. 
    dtb200
  • Reply 20 of 29
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member

    cropr said:
    macxpress said:
    Maybe Apple Technicians need better training on how to properly replace a battery. 
    They are flooded with people replacing the battery now. Law of numbers dictate that this is bound to happen. 

    Try dealing with a massive line of people pissed because they want a battery they don’t need replaced. It’s maddening right now. 
    Apple has designed the iPhone in such a way that a battery replacement is difficult, even for a trained technician.  Apple has blundered by  being silent about the throttling.   So Apple is 100% responsible for the mess.  Don't blame the pissed customer for a so-called unnecessary battery replacement.  Your biased view is not in line with the facts
    What’s unnecessary about replacing a depleted battery? Just as with cars, you must change the battery when it’s time has come and for most people that means hiring someone to do it. 
    edited January 2018 watto_cobra
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