“Not the barbecue I wanted on my day off,” Dornacher wrote on Facebook, sharing photos of his vehicle on fire and the charred remnants of his smartphone.
No one was injured in the incident. “We are safe no one was hurt all that matters to me,” Dornacher wrote on Facebook. According to a report from FOX 13 News, St. Petersburg, Florida resident Nathan Dornacher and his family had just returned home from a yard sale on Labor Day. While unloading a desk they had bought for their daughter, Nathan left his new Note 7 to charge in his SUV. They sent their 8-year-old daughter, with the family’s service dog to get back in the vehicle because they were leaving to run more errands. However, the dog knew something was wrong. Dornacher looked out of the window and realized his Jeep was engulfed in flames. While fire fighters were able to contain the fire, but it was too late for Dornacher’s Jeep, which was totaled, according to FOX 13 News. Samsung spokesperson told FOX 13 News that it was “aware of the incident,” and that it was “working with Mr. Dornacher to investigate his case and ensure we do everything we can for him.” The spokesperson added, “Consumer safety is Samsung’s highest priority. With regard to the Galaxy Note7, we are asking owners to take advantage of the Product Exchange Program announced on Friday of last week. The program offers Note 7 owners the opportunity to exchange the phone for a new one.” However, Dornacher on Facebook said that while he wasn’t positive that the Note 7 was the cause of the fire, “all signs are pointing that way.” He also posted that “Samsung has blown me off after over a hour on the phone this morning. Never called back as promised. Guess it is time to get a lawyer. You had your chance.” In the meantime, in Australia, a Note 7 explosion caused $1,380 worth of damage to a hotel room. Samsung recently announced a global recall for its flagship Galaxy Note 7 units after it discovered a battery fault in the smartphone, which caused it to explode. More than 35 cases of exploding have been reported since the launch of the smartphone on August 19.
