Swiss Apple store evacuated, employee suffers burns after iPhone battery emits smoke
Smoke from an overheating iPhone battery has prompted the evacuation of 50 staff and customers at an Apple store in central Zurich, Swiss authorities say.
A store employee suffered minor burns and seven people received medical treatment.
Marco Bisa of the Zurich police office said staff "responded well and correctly" by sprinkling quartz sand on the overheating battery to contain the smoke, then opening ventilation systems to release it.
Mr Bisa said police, firefighters, several ambulances and an emergency vehicle were deployed in response to the incident in the store’s workshop.
Just went to Apple store in Zurich. Business as usual. The shop manager refused to comment anything on iPhone incident; asks to contact @Apple press team. https://t.co/pxxOBxg3kv pic.twitter.com/QcoRTvCUwP
— X news (@runews) January 9, 2018
The injured employee sustained light injuries to the hand when the battery he was removing from the phone overheated.
Police forensic experts are examining what caused the battery to overheat.
