If you own one of EE’s free Power Bar chargers, we have some bad news. After issuing a partial recall on selected units in August, the company announced today that it’s asking for every single portable charging unit to be handed back. Tests reveal more models may be susceptible to overheating and could pose a fire risk.
“If you have a Power Bar, you should stop using it straight away and hand it in to one of our stores,” says EE on its website. “We are taking this action because we are aware of a very small number of further incidents where Power Bars have overheated in circumstances that could cause a fire safety risk.” If you return your free charger, EE says you’ll be given a £20 voucher to spend on accessories.
When the free Power Bars first became available in April, the UK operator gave out more than one million units in just four days. However, a medical student was left with nasty burns after one exploded while charging, so the company requested that 500,000 Power Bars sporting the model number E1-06 be returned. With additional reports of overheating, the carrier has today decided that the safety of its customers comes first, so it’s abandoning the initiative altogether.
Source: EE