London:
A 32-year-old British man, who was found dead in his bathroom, had been accidentally electrocuted as his iPhone fell in water while charging, according to a judicial probe.
Richard Bull, who was charging the phone which was resting on his chest, suffered severe burns when his phone accidentally fell in water in his home in Ealing, west London, The Sun reported.
A coroner—responsible for holding inquests into violent, sudden, or suspicious deaths—ruled that the man’s death was accidental, and issued a warning on Thursday after hearing how the man was electrocuted while charging the phone, the report said.
Bull, who was getting ready to meet his family for Christmas when the tragedy occurred on December 11 last year, is believed to have plugged the charger into an extension cord and put it on his chest while using the phone, it said.
His wife Tanya found him lying unconscious when she returned home. She first thought he was attacked as he had injuries in his body.
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Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dr Sean Cummings, who conducted the inquest at West London Coroner’s Court on Wednesday said, “These seem like innocuous devices but can be as dangerous as a hairdryer in a bathroom. They should attach warnings. I intend to write a report later to the makers of the phone”.
Bull’s brother Andrew said, “We can all be careless at times. You do not think there is enough electricity to do this, but there is. It was such a needless and tragic accident”.
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His mother said, “I worry so many people, and especially teenagers who cannot be separated from their phones, do not know how dangerous it is”.
