Bolangir: A mobile phone shop was gutted after a cell phone battery exploded during repair work at Bikarm Square here Monday.
Shopkeeper Pratap Chandra Sahu escaped unhurt. Fire personnel doused the fire before it could spread to other shops in the vicinity.
The incident occurred when Sahu took out the battery of a phone and was cleaning it with acetone. The battery suddenly exploded with a deafening sound and flames began to spread in the shop. Sahu jumped out of the shop in the nick of the moment and saved himself. The shop soon went up in flames as mobile phones and accessories worth Rs 7 lakh were reduced to ashes.
Fire officer A Mohammed claimed short-circuit in the battery might have led to the explosion. A probe will be conducted to ascertain the actual reason behind the blast, he added.
PNN
