Teenager electrocuted by phone charger in Thailand sparks warning
The tragic death of a teenager electrocuted by a phone charger today has left a community reeling in the Sikhoraphum district of Surin in Isaan.
Police revealed that the 15 year old girl was electrocuted after falling asleep with her phone, today, March 7. Officers added that she had burn marks from the phone charger cord.
Sergeant Den Wanyang, taking to Facebook, recounted how the Pak Mai patrol was alerted to the tragedy by Supee Sombat, the headman of Pak Mai.
“I would like to inform that on March 7, at 5.30am, we received a report that a 15 year old girl had died from an electric shock while lying in bed playing on her phone.”
Police, alongside doctors from Sikhoraphum Hospital, conducted an autopsy to thoroughly investigate the cause. Images from the scene showed police conducting their inspection, with a poignant picture of an extension cord and a USB Type C cable plugged in without an adapter.
Facebook users were quick to engage, with one, Chang Tu MDS2Sound Surin, shedding light on the potential causes.
He explained that short circuits from USB charging often stem from a noise filter in the 315VDC high-voltage system leaking or shorting. This can lead to high-voltage electricity ‘grounding’ through the USB cable, the very part that connects to the phone you hold.
Parents have been urged to heed the chilling warning, as well-meaning users debated the presence of blood in the aftermath. It’s possible, they agreed, for electric shocks to cause bleeding and swelling.
High-voltage currents can damage tissues and blood vessels, leading to internal or external bleeding. Meanwhile, severe muscle contractions from shock can also cause tears and injuries.
Additional advice stressed the importance of not charging devices while using them, underscoring the risks of barefoot contact with potentially conductive surfaces like tile or cement. Faults or moisture in power plugs can lead to easier short circuits, and experts emphasised the need for home safety systems to prevent future heartbreak.
- Tissue and blood vessel injury: High-voltage electric currents can damage tissues and blood vessels within the body, resulting in internal or external bleeding. The heat from the electric current can also cause proteins in tissues to coagulate, leading to swelling.
- Severe muscle contractions: An electric shock can cause muscles to contract so severely that they tear, resulting in injury and bleeding.
- Burns: High-voltage electrical currents can burn the skin and tissues, causing blisters and oozing fluid that may appear to be bleeding.
- Other complications: In some cases, electric shock can lead to complications such as cardiac arrest, kidney failure, or respiratory failure, which can also result in swelling and bleeding.
As communities rally around the grieving family, Sergeant Wanyang offered his heartfelt condolences, hoping this tragic loss would serve as a sobering reminder of electrical safety.
A similar story emerged from two years ago. A young Bangkok man was found dead in his room holding a phone on charge. Police say he was electrocuted to death.
Rat Burana Police Station officers were informed of the death in the Bang Mod subdistrict, Thung Khru district.
Latest Thailand News
