California reporter hospitalized after portable charger explodes in bed

A Los Angeles sports reporter said she was hospitalized with chemical burns after a portable charger exploded in her bed, she said in a social media video posted Feb. 15.

Ashley Nevel told viewers the blast occurred at about 5 a.m. and set her mattress on fire. “Mine literally just exploded in my bed. Everything caught on fire. My mattress — burned a hole through it,” she said in the video.

Nevel said the explosion caused chemical burns to her arm and hair and that a fire blanket she received as a housewarming gift from her father helped stop the blaze, KCAL-TV reported. She said she smelled of smoke and could not stay in the apartment until it was cleaned.

She told KCAL-TV that her phone was plugged into the charger when it overheated, leaving her unable to call 911. Nevel said she ran to her balcony and screamed for help; neighbors called emergency services and responders arrived within three minutes, she said.

In the video, Nevel urged people to stop using portable chargers and to keep a fire blanket on hand. She also questioned whether portable chargers should be allowed on airplanes, saying she had carried them for years and was grateful the incident was not worse.

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