Redmi Note 4 explosion caused due to ‘extreme external force’: Xiaomi

Xiaomi has released an official statement on the Redmi Note 4 explosion.

Earlier this week, reports of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 allegedly ‘explodes’ in user’s pocket surfaced online. Following the incident, Xiaomi released a statement saying they are investigating the reasons for the device catching fire. Now, in the latest development, the company has released an official statement that an extreme external force was applied to the device, which led the device to catch fire.

After what Xiaomi calls a “detailed investigation”, the comany said in a statement to IANS “We would like to clarify a recent incident of a damaged Redmi Note 4 in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. We were able to procure the device after multiple conversations with the customer. Upon first impressions of the damaged device, we can conclude that extreme external force was applied to the device, which led to the back cover and battery being bent and screen getting damaged. A detailed investigation has been launched to understand the exact cause of the damage.”

Bhavana Suryakiran, a resident of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district said that his Redmi Note 4 caught fire in his pockets while riding a bike. He reportedly pulled out, and threw away the handset. Suryakiran bought his Redmi Note 4 some 20 days before the incident from Flipkart. He is quoted as saying that he plans to take Xiaomi to court for selling him a defective unit, and also will seek compensation for his injuries. 

“We would like to request our customers to avoid opening the device, puncturing the battery or applying extreme physical force to the device. Further, do refrain from getting your smartphone repaired at unauthorized repair shops,” Xiaomi said. You can read the company’s statement below.

At Xiaomi, customer safety is of utmost importance and we treat such cases with absolute priority. All our devices go through stringent quality testing to ensure high standards.

We would like to clarify a recent incident of a damaged Redmi Note 4 in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh. We were able to procure the device after a week of multiple conversations with the customer.

Upon first impressions of the damaged device, we can conclude that extreme external force was applied to the device, which led to the back cover and battery being bent and screen getting damaged. A detailed investigation has been launched to understand the exact cause of the damage.

We would like to request our customers to avoid opening the device, puncturing the battery or applying extreme physical force to the device. Further, do refrain from getting your smartphone repaired at unauthorised repair shops. Instead, if you find issues with your device, visit Xiaomi Authorized Service Centers (575 across 350+ cities) or reach us directly on our hotline 1800 103 6286 immediately.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 is the company’s best selling device in its current portfolio. At the time of launch, earlier this year, Xiaomi announced that it aims to sell 7 million units of the smartphone. Last week, Xiaomi India Head, Manu Kumar Jain announced that they have sold a total of 5 million units in just six months of launch. To mark the same, the Redmi Note 4 is now available via open sale on mi.com and Flipkart. Additionally, according to latest reports by IDC, Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 4 is the top selling smartphone for two consecutive quarters. 

While Redmi Note 4 exploding should not really affect the smartphone sales, this is not the first time we have seen a Redmi Note 4 explode. It may be relevant to recall a similar incident of a Redmi Note 4 exploding, which was reported from Bangalore a few months back. However, Xiaomi later explained that the incident was a fake.