A cell phone apparently ignited in a Vallejo, Calif., man’s pocket and started a fire that burned his hotel room and caused severe burns over half his body, fire department officials said.
Luis Picaso, 59, was in stable condition Monday with second- and third-degree burns to his upper body, back, right arm and right leg, Vallejo Fire Department assistant chief Kurt Henke said.
Firefighters arrived at the residential hotel Saturday night to find Picaso lying on the bathroom floor after a malfunctioning cell phone in his pants pocket set fire to his nylon and polyester clothes, Henke said.
The flames spread to a plastic chair, setting off a sprinkler that held the fire in check, he said.
Authorities declined to name the phone’s manufacturer and model.
The fire and water caused $75,000 damage to the room and a business on the ground floor, Henke said.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Florida Board Drafting Rules That Could Stem Bogus Engineering Reports in Claims 
Howden-Driven Talent War Has Cost Brown & Brown $23M in Revenue, CEO Says 
Why Power Outages Do More Economic Damage Than We Think 
Hot Sauce Company Sues Manufacturer Over Exploding Bottles 
