Computers, Gaming, & Technology Here you can talk about anything with circuit boards, or dilithium crystals, or flux capacitors. Show off your technology, computing, and gaming knowledge.

Latest Darwin award - Killed by charging phone in bath

Old Mar 20, 2017 | 04:17 PM
  #1  
wyst's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Erie, PA
Vehicle: 2013 Genesis 3.8
Default Latest Darwin award - Killed by charging phone in bath

This happened in the UK. I know nothing about electricity but it would seem the juice coming through the charging cable for a phone would not be enough to kill you. But this is in the UK where the juice is stronger than the US. I wonder what would happen here/



I'm not stupid enough to try it. Nothing charging is getting in with me into a body of water.



https://www.cnet.com/news/man-dies-a...electrocution/





"Richard Bull was found dead in the bathtub.



His wife found him with severe burns to his body at their home in London.



As the Daily Mail reports, when police arrived at the scene they found an extension cord leading into the bathroom from the hallway.



"We found an iPhone plugged into the extension cable and then the charger element in the bath," PC Craig Pattinson told an inquiry into Bull's death.



He added: "The extension cable was on the floor and it appeared as though he had his phone charger on his chest and the part between the phone charger and the cable had made contact with the water."



The inquest concluded that 32-year-old Bull's death was caused accidental electrocution. However, the coroner, a public official who investigates suspicious, sudden or violent deaths, said he was extremely concerned that people didn't realize that phones were as dangerous near water as, say, hairdryers."
Reply
Old Mar 20, 2017 | 10:36 PM
  #2  
i8acobra's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,735
Likes: 3
From: Vegas, Baby, Vegas!!!
Vehicle: '14 Ford F-150
Default

It takes less than 200 mA to kill, so yes, you're phone charger can kill you.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2017 | 05:44 PM
  #3  
Stocker's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
Likes: 5
From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
Default

Without clicking through to the article, I'm gonna guess that the charger itself, plugged into the extension cord, was on his chest. Aaaand then he had 240V @ 15A in the water with him, also on his chest. That'd do it.
Reply



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:21 PM.