‘Urgent’ Investigation After EE Power Bar Explodes, Causes Severe Burns

EE has launched an investigation into reports that one if its free power bars exploded, causing one customer in Aberdeen to suffer severe burns as she attempted to put out the subsequent fire.

Medical student Katie Emslie woke up at 1am on Friday after hearing a “firework noise” and sensing smoke in the air. When she saw the fire, she attempted to fight the fire her hands before her mother put the flames out with a wet towel.

EE Power Bar explosion

“My hands smelt of firework, my clothes smelt of firework, my hair smelt of firework,” Emslie told the BBC. “My pillow has black soot on it, so it obviously went past my pillow and missed my head by about six inches. It could have landed on my bed and I might not even be here.”

EE is offering a free power bar to all of its customers, who can either recharge the device themselves or exchange it for another unit at an EE retail store. Such power bars are popular among smartphone users who find modern handsets cannot offer a full day’s charge through normal use, and fear battery drain.

The promotion has proved popular, with EE handing out 1.1 million power bars so far. It told TechWeekEurope it was in contact with Emslie and would be conducting an urgent investigation.

“We’re sorry to hear about Ms. Emslie’s experience,” said a spokesperson. “This is an isolated incident and we’re in contact with the customer to investigate the cause of this issue as a matter of urgency.”

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