California girl says her iPhone 6 caught fire

ByLezla Gooden WABC logo
Saturday, July 13, 2019
California girl says her iPhone 6 caught fire
Kayla Ramos, 11, said her iPhone 6 exploded in her sister's bedroom in Bakersfield, California.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- An 11-year-old California girl says her iPhone 6 recently caught fire in her sister's bedroom.

"I was sitting down, and I had my phone in my hand and then I saw sparks flying everywhere and I just threw it on a blanket," said Kayla Ramos.

Ramos told KERO-TV that she uses her iPhone 6 to watch YouTube videos and occasionally lets her younger siblings play games with it.

"I was right here on the bed and the phone managed to burn through this blanket and make these holes," Ramos said.

Maria Adata, Kayla's mom, said she contacted Apple the following day. She said she was instructed to send pictures and ship the phone to the retailer.

"This could have been my child," said Adata. "My child could have been caught on fire and she could have been hurt more and I am glad she's OK."

Adata said that Apple is investigating the cause of the phone explosion.

KERO-TV reached out to Apple officials for comment. The company spokesperson wasn't aware of the explosion.

"I will no longer sleep with it next to me," said Adata. "I know we charge it a lot maybe that caused it, maybe it overheated."

Apple officials said several factors may cause a phone to overheat, including the use of any unauthorized products like charging cables. Unauthorized repairs and external damage to a phone could also cause it to combust, according to company officials.

Ramos said there has been a silver lining to her phone exploding.

"It hasn't been that bad," Ramos said. "I mean I have been able to hang out with my sisters and my family more."