California woman hospitalized with chemical burns after portable charger explodes while sleeping

Los Angeles woman warns against portable chargers after hers caught fire in bed, forcing her to scream for neighbors to call 911 for emergency help. California California woman hospitalized with chemical burns after portable charger explodes while sleeping Her device exploded while charging in her bed, forcing her to scream from the balcony for neighbors to call 911 because her phone overheated By Brie Stimson Fox News Published February 21, 2026 11:02pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video iPhone users more likely to get scammed than Android users, study indicates Kurt the CyberGuy joins 'Fox & Friends' to share his tips to stay safe from online scammers and recent warnings on how AI toys can harm children. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A Los Angeles-based sports reporter had a scary morning earlier this month, when her portable charger suddenly exploded while she was sleeping, leaving her with chemical burns on her arm and hair and a hole in her bed. "PSA to anybody that uses a portable charger: don’t," Ashley Nevel said in a video she posted to her social media on Feb. 15. "Mine literally just exploded in my bed. Everything caught on fire. My mattress — burned a hole through it. I literally have nowhere to sleep."She explained that she has an emergency fire blanket that was a housewarming gift from her dad, according to KCAL-TV, that she believes saved her life. "Stop using portable chargers," she reiterated. "I smell like smoke. My entire apartment needs to be cleaned to get the toxicity out. I can’t even stay there. It’s really bad. So, don’t use a portable charger. Make sure you have a fire blanket handy because it honestly saved my life, and I’m just grateful to be alive." DON'T IGNORE APPLE'S URGENT SECURITY UPDATE A Los Angeles-based sports reporter had a scary morning earlier this month when her portable charger suddenly exploded while she was sleeping, leaving her with chemical burns on her arm and a hole in her bed. (Getty) After she got back from the hospital, Nevel added, "Another terrifying part of all of this is my phone was charged. It was charging in the charger, and it overheated when the charger exploded, so I couldn’t call 911. I couldn’t make any phone calls."She said she was forced to run out on her balcony and scream for others to call 911 — all after waking up to the explosion at 5 a.m. "Thankfully my neighbors were like, amazing," she said, adding that emergency responders arrived within three minutes.APPLE PATCHES TWO ZERO-DAY FLAWS USED IN TARGETED ATTACKS File photo of a phone charger that exploded. (Getty) "When you’re dealing with something like that, fight or flight kicks in," she said. "You have no f---ing idea what to do." Later, she also suggested that banning portable chargers on airplanes altogether might be a good idea."What if I was on an airplane and that happened?" she questioned. "What do you do in that situation? Like, everyone is in danger with a small little charger and I never thought that was going to happen to me." Damaged lithium cells from phone chargers. (Getty)CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP She added that she’s been walking around with portable chargers for years."You never think something is going to happen to you, and I’m just more thankful it isn’t more serious than it could have been," she continued. "Yeah, throw away your portable chargers." Related Topics CaliforniaLos AngelesU.S.LifestyleTech True Crime The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal. Arrives Weekly By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. Subscribe Subscribed Subscribe You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!