Nokia has responded to a story ZDNet Australia published on Wednesday in which a reader, Linda Lisica, sent in photographs showing how her battery shot out of a charging phone and exploded.
Ms. Lisica's phone battery.
Nokia had previously issued an "advisory" about BL-5C batteries manufactured by Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. Nokia said in a statement that such batteries "could potentially experience overheating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge."
BL-5C batteries are Lithium Ion batteries (Li-Ion), and according to Nokia's battery specifications "Lithium is the lightest of all metals" and "provides the largest energy density per weight."
The phone in question, a Nokia 6230i was compatible with BL-5C batteries and according to Lisica, was "roughly three years old", meaning it was likely manufactured in the same time period as the faulty BL-5C batteries.
However Louise Ingram, communications manager for Nokia Australia, said in a statement "there are a number of factors that can cause battery incidents, including product misuse, liquid damage, external force, use of non-original accessories and counterfeiting."
When queried about potential causes, Lisica denied liquid damage or product misuse. She said she was first aware of a problem when she heard a "hissing" sound, followed by a sound she described as being like a "firecracker".
Lisica estimated the explosion caused the battery to fly "two and a half to three metres". "We couldn't figure out how it had travelled into the next room ... where it landed, it would have [had to travel] in a U shape," she said.
Nokia's Ingram wasn't interested in theorising possible causes: "until an investigation is completed, it is inappropriate to speculate on what may have caused this issue."
Nokia and Matsushita continue to offer to replace any BL-5C battery subject to the "advisory" free of charge. In addition, Nokia has promised to investigate the matter fully.
"Naturally, we will do our utmost to complete investigations as soon as possible," Ingram said.
