A man has taken to Facebook to warn others after he suffered third-degree burns when his Fitbit fitness tracker exploded in bed.
Ethan Landers from Iowa described the moment he woke in a panic when he realised his wrist was burning.
Once he realised the fitness tracker was burning, Landers said he frantically tried to rip it off but couldn’t unlatch the band.
‘It felt like it melted through my arm,’ he said.
He added that there was smoke coming out of the battery and his bedroom smelled of an electrical fire.
Following the horrifying incident, Landers and his wife rushed to hospital where he learned he’d suffered third-degree burns and may require a skin graft.
He has lost feeling in parts of his wrist due to nerve damage and will be forced to live with a large scar from the injury.
‘This is a traumatic experience and I hope no one else has to go through it,’ he wrote.
‘So if you own a Fitbit, please reconsider using it,’ he warned.
The post has been shared more than 4,000 times on Facebook.
A statement from Fitbit has confirmed the company is investigating the incident.
Speaking to The Sun, a spokesperson from the organisation said ‘the health and safety of our customers is our top priority and we take Mr Landers’ report very seriously.’
‘Fitbit products are designed and produced in accordance with strict standards and undergo extensive internal and external testing to ensure the safety of our users,’ they added.
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