A firefighter in the Pennsylvanian town of East Brandywine experienced a close call with his iPhone 4 earlier this month, according to a post on the East Brandywine Fire Company's website.

toastyiphonesm

While charging the phone using the Apple provided computer connection, the phone spontaneously caught fire.

After the phone fell to the floor igniting the carpet, the phone was thrown out a nearby window.

Despite the phone being relatively small it produced a large volume of smoke and a noxious smell.

The department notes that the phone has been sent to Apple headquarters in California so the company's engineers can investigate the exact cause of the fire.

This isn't the first time an iPhone has caught fire, but the incidents appear to be unrelated. Earlier this year, Apple initiated a worldwide replacement program for the first-generation iPod Nano, which, in rare cases, could overheat and pose a safety risk to users.

Top Rated Comments

Quazimojo Avatar
185 months ago
Maybe Apple really does have a kill switch built into the phones..

And it really means KILL the phone :eek:
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
powers74 Avatar
185 months ago
"I threw it on the GROOOUND!!!"
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Cjr605 Avatar
185 months ago
Does it make me a blind fanboy or just naive to think that this happens to electronics all the time but this case gets reported because it is Apple?

I don't know if it is right to assume that this is being reported just "because it is Apple." I would assume that a website dedicated to delivering Apple news might end up posting something about an Apple device doing this.

And, like the person above me posted, there are other incidents of phone malfunctions which have received press.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
emaja Avatar
185 months ago
Does it make me a blind fanboy or just naive to think that this happens to electronics all the time but this case gets reported because it is Apple?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlueHedgehog Avatar
185 months ago
Despite the phone being relatively small it produced a large volume of smoke and a noxious smell.
Was that the "neurotoxin"? (Portal reference)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
echo2011 Avatar
185 months ago
This is a comforting thing to know when charging my phone overnight.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...