Teen left with burns after portable phone charger combusts, catches bed on fire in Massachusetts

A Massachusetts teen was left with small burn injuries after a portable charger exploded, resulting in a bed catching fire at her friend's home, according to officials and media reports.

On Saturday, firefighters responded to a home in Topsfield, a town about 23 miles from Boston. When they arrived at the scene, the first responders extinguished the fire and removed the burning bed, according to the Topsfield Fire Department. Additionally, firefighters ventilated the home. The people inside were able to evacuate.

"One of the residents suffered a minor burn and declined transport to the hospital," the fire department said in the statement. "All personnel were clear of the scene within 45 minutes, and the damage to the property and contents is estimated to be $5,000."

Photos posted by the department show the damage to the bed and pillows. The victim who was burned was identified by local news as 16-year-old Audra Cataldo.

Teen got the portable charger from Amazon, report says

Cataldo recounted her "pretty traumatic" experience to WCVB, saying that she was at her friend's house over the weekend when the incident occurred. They were watching a movie when her phone caught fire, and flames covered her arm.

Moments later, her phone exploded, and smoke filled the area, according to the report. The report noted that she was using a magnetic portable charger from Amazon, but the specific brand of the charger was not mentioned.

“If they were asleep in bed, it would have been catastrophic. They wouldn’t have had time to get out," the friend's father, Johannes Booy, told the outlet. USA TODAY reached out to the family for comment.

"I'm very grateful. It could've gone so much worse," Cataldo added.

Officials issue warning about lithium-ion batteries

Topsfield Fire and the State Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the incident. Officials also included a reminder about how to use lithium-ion batteries safely.

"Lithium-ion batteries pack a lot of power into a small device," officials warned. "If lithium-ion batteries are misused, or if they are defective, that power can cause a fire or explosion."

Earlier this year, more than 130,000 portable charges were recalled due to safety concerns, including reports of overheating and fires resulting in burn injuries.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].