Dongguan court upholds ¥634,511 compensation for woman severely burned by phone battery fire while charging in bed. She bears 40% fault; seller pays 60%. Landlord may cover 10% if seller defaults.
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Phone-Charging Fire Leaves Dongguan Woman Severely Disabled; Seller Ordered to Pay ¥634,000
A court in Dongguan has upheld a compensation award of more than 634,000 yuan after a mobile phone caught fire while charging, leaving a woman with severe and permanent burn injuries.
The accident happened during the early hours of February 4, 2024, inside a rented room in Chang’an Town, Dongguan. Although the fire reportedly affected an area of only around one square metre, the woman suffered extensive burns to her face, hands, torso and limbs. Medical assessments later classified her injuries as two level-six disabilities and one level-nine disability.
She Fell Asleep While Using the Charging Phone
The woman, identified by the surname Chen, had purchased the phone through an online shopping platform in August 2021.
On the night of the accident, she was lying in bed watching videos while the device was connected to a charger. She eventually fell asleep. According to the case details, she woke up in severe pain after the fire had already started and managed to escape from the room despite her injuries.
An examination of the damaged phone and charger found signs consistent with thermal runaway in the lithium battery. Thermal runaway occurs when a battery rapidly overheats and triggers a chain reaction that may lead to smoke, fire or an explosion. Investigators reportedly ruled out external factors as the cause of the battery failure.
Chen’s initial medical treatment alone cost more than 300,000 yuan, and she is expected to require further procedures, rehabilitation and long-term care.
Seller and Landlords Taken to Court
Chen argued that the defective phone battery directly caused the fire. She also claimed that the rented property lacked adequate fire-safety equipment and that those managing the accommodation had failed to provide a sufficiently safe living environment.
She sued the phone seller, the property owner and the person who had sublet the room, seeking more than 1.18 million yuan for medical expenses, future treatment, rehabilitation, nursing care, disability compensation and emotional suffering.
After reviewing the case, the first-instance court calculated her recognised losses at approximately 1.06 million yuan.
However, the court found that Chen also carried some responsibility because she had used the phone while it was charging in bed and then fallen asleep. She was ordered to bear 40% of the responsibility.
The phone seller was assigned the remaining 60%, resulting in a compensation payment of 634,511.35 yuan. The person who sublet the property may also be required to cover up to 10% of any amount the seller is unable to pay.
Seller’s Appeal Rejected
The seller appealed, arguing that the phone manufacturer should have been added to the case and questioning whether the damaged phone and battery were the same original products sold through the online order.
The Dongguan Intermediate People’s Court rejected those arguments and upheld the original judgment.
The court explained that under China’s Civil Code, a person injured by a defective product may pursue compensation from either the manufacturer or the seller. The seller may later seek reimbursement from the manufacturer if evidence shows that responsibility originated during production.
The court also noted that the seller had not retained complete purchasing and sales records capable of proving the condition of the phone when it was sold.
A Serious Warning About Charging Phones in Bed
The case serves as a reminder that phones and power banks should not be charged on beds, sofas or other surfaces surrounded by flammable materials.
Users should avoid leaving devices charging unattended overnight and should stop using any battery that becomes unusually hot, swollen, damaged or produces a strange smell. Chargers and cables from reliable manufacturers should also be used whenever possible.
Source: Case information disclosed by the Dongguan Intermediate People’s Court and reported by Nanfang Plus on July 20, 2026.
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