Horrifying: Google Pixel 6a Catches Fire Inches Away From Sleeping Owner

Google Pixel 6a's battery overheating issues don't seem to end; rather, they're getting quite dangerous.

A Reddit user recently recounted a horrifying incident involving his Pixel 6a. His device ignited merely inches away from him, while he was asleep at night. He added that the phone was charging on his nightstand when it unexpectedly erupted in flames. The phone was barely 40 cm from his head when it caught fire. 

“I woke up to a loud noise and this horrible smell”, the user wrote on Reddit. “The fire had already started. I grabbed the phone by its cord and threw it on the floor. My sheets caught fire”. 

“Terrible experience all around. I was lucky that the battery side was away from me and not facing towards me”, he wrote on Reddit.

He shared photos of his burnt Pixel 6a and the damage that was caused. The user added that he also suffered from sore throat from breathing in smoke.

Pixel 6a Plagued By Battery Overheating

This isn't the first dangerous incident reported about the Pixel 6a. A few months back, at least two users stated their Pixel 6a devices caught fire. A Reddit user mentioned that their phone “spontaneously combusted in the middle of the night”.

Notably, Google had alerted Pixel 6a users about a significant battery overheating issue that can only be fixed by reducing the battery's capacity and power retention. In June, the company rolled out a software update to address the issue, as part of the Pixel 6a battery performance programme.

If a user's Pixel 6a was identified as an “Impacted Device”, they might qualify for a free battery replacement as well, as per Google. However, this Reddit user said he wasn't located in an area eligible for the battery replacement programme. 

The Pixel 6a isn't alone as well. Just before the introduction of the Pixel 9a earlier this year, there was a battery overheating and fire hazard problem reported for the Pixel 4a, which ultimately resulted in a product recall.

In April, Google had also announced an expanded repair programme to address the battery swelling issues in the Pixel 7a.

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