In the latest battery-charging incident, six people were injured in a Tokyo apartment fire thought to have been caused by a power bank.
Authorities are once again warning against the use of worn-out or poor-quality products.
Emergency services received a call at 1:50 a.m. on Sept. 25 from a resident of a five-story building about 200 meters east of Minami-Asagaya Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line. The area in the capital’s Suginami Ward is lined with homes and local shops.
The fire burned approximately 20 square meters of a unit on the second floor, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
The woman living in the unit told authorities that she had been asleep at the time and left her smartphone charging overnight using a power bank.
She woke up to a noise and discovered that a fire had broken out, supposedly caused by the portable charger.
The woman and five other residents from neighboring units were treated for smoke inhalation.
According to the Tokyo Fire Department, there were 47 power bank-related fire incidents in the first half of this year, and 77 throughout last year.
Officials are urging the public to stop using products that show signs of malfunction, such as overheating during charging or rapid power depletion.
The National Consumer Affairs Center also warns against purchasing products with unclear technical information or missing manufacturer details.
They advise checking for the PSE label that indicates the product meets Japan’s electrical safety standards.
AloJapan.com