Samsung Galaxy Note 2 catches fire in Chennai-bound IndiGo flight; Samsung introuble

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A Samsung Galaxy Note 2 smartphone has caught fire on an IndiGo aircraft. The phablet was kept in the overhead bin of flight 6E-054 from Singapore to Chennai today. No passenger was hurt and the plane managed to land safely. While this incident does not have any connection with the Galaxy Note 7′s exploding batteries, but it could not have come at a worse time for Samsung.

The photo of a charred Galaxy Note 2 smartphone has been shared by The Hindu , and it is fortunate that the device was in the overhead bin and not in the owner’s pockets. “While landing at the Chennai airport at 7:45AM, the cabin crew detected smoke in a Samsung Note 2 handset kept in the overhead bin,” a DGCA spokesperson told the publication. IndiGO has issued a statement on this statement — “The crew quickly identified minor smoke coming from the hat-rack of seat 23 C and simultaneously informed the pilot-in-command who further alerted the ATC of the situation on board. Taking precautionary measure, the cabin crew on priority relocated all passengers on other seats, and further observed smoke being emitted from a Samsung note 2 which was placed in the baggage (of a passenger) in the overhead bin. The crew discharged the fire extinguisher which is as per the standard operating procedures prescribed by the aircraft manufacturer, and quickly transferred the Samsung note 2 into a container filled with water in lavatory.”

A smartphone catching fire in an aircraft is no laughing matter, but this incident can’t have come at a worse time for Samsung. What’s worse, for Samsung, is that the DGCA has reportedly issued an advisory urging passengers to now strictly keep any and all Galaxy Note device during the entire duration of a flight. While it’s not normal for transport regulators to target any one company or device, recently the DGCA issued a notice banning passengers from carrying the Galaxy Note 7 device onboard an aircraft. Samsung has so far declined to comment on the latest incident.

Samsung is facing a tough time having recalled nearly 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 units in countries where it first went on sale. The units had manufacturing defects, which led to batteries heating up and exploding. Samsung explained the issue and also advised users to keep their Galaxy Note 7 units switched off. The company is also releasing a software OTA update that would limit the phone from charging beyond 60 percent. It has also added markings in the new Galaxy Note 7 units that have safe batteries. However, that hasn’t stopped regulators to warn users about the Galaxy Note 7. Even in India, where Samsung has not officially started selling the Galaxy Note 7, airlines are making in-flight announcements asking Galaxy Note 7 users to switch off and not charge the phone throughout the duration of the flight.

The Galaxy Note 7 was supposed to go on sale in India on September 2 but Samsung halted the sales and apologized to those who had pre-ordered the device. There is no official word at the moment about when Samsung would resume the sale of the Galaxy Note 7 in India. However, after today’s incident, it does not seem like the company should be in any hurry to launch it and should let the matter cool down first.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 catches fire in an IndiGo aircraft, DGCA advises all Galaxy Note devices to be switched off during flights
 
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