Chinese woman dies of electrocution while using iPhone: report

Image
Press Trust of India Beijing
Last Updated : Jul 15 2013 | 1:35 PM IST
A 23-year-old Chinese woman has died after being electrocuted while using iPhone, her family alleged.
The incident happened in northwestern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has gone viral online, prompting Apple Inc, makers of iPhone, to launch a "thorough probe" into the case.
The older sister of victim Ma Ailun said on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, that Ma was electrocuted while trying to answer a call on her iPhone when the device was charging.
"(I) hope that Apple Inc can give us an explanation. I also hope that all of you will refrain from using your mobile devices while charging," state-run China Daily quoted her as saying in the Weibo post.
The post has gone viral online, with many forwarding the message and warning others of the dangers of using mobile devices while they are being charged.
Ma's father, Ma Guanghui, confirmed that his daughter was electrocuted and her body showed signs of electrocution, the report said.
Ma was previously employed as a flight attendant at China Southern Airlines, although she recently quit her job.
Local police also confirmed that Ma did die of electrocution, but they have yet to verify if her phone was involved in the incident.
Ma's sister said she hopes to seek justice from Apple.
Apple, in a statement, said the company felt "deeply sorry for the unfortunate accident" and expressed condolence to the victim and her family.
"The company would have a thorough probe into the case, and would be in full cooperation with investigations," the statement said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 15 2013 | 1:35 PM IST

Next Story