A portable charger exploded on a grandmother’s lap, killing her—and federal regulators just announced they still can’t get people to stop using the deadly device.
Story Snapshot
- CPSC reannounced recall of 429,000 Casely Power Banks after 28 new incidents post-initial recall, including one fatality and an airplane fire
- 75-year-old New Jersey woman died in August 2024 from severe burns when the charger exploded while charging her phone on her lap
- 47-year-old woman suffered burns during a February in-flight fire involving the same model power bank
- Original April 2025 recall followed 51 reports of overheating, swelling, or fire; consumers must stop use immediately and seek free replacement
- Over 1.1 million power banks have been recalled for similar fire hazards, with 446 lithium battery incidents in U.S. airspace from 2006-2023
When One Recall Isn’t Enough
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission does not typically reannounce recalls. When they do, it means people are ignoring warnings that could save their lives.
The Casely Power Bank 5000mAh model E33A earned that dubious distinction after 28 additional incidents emerged following an April 2025 recall that already documented 51 cases of overheating, swelling, and fires.
The new tally includes a death that should never have happened and a mid-flight emergency that put an entire aircraft at risk. These aren’t minor malfunctions. These are catastrophic failures of devices people trust daily.
Hundreds of thousands of power banks were recalled after one of the products reportedly exploded, killing a woman.https://t.co/rkf5z07645
— Mid-Michigan NOW (@midmichigannow) April 21, 2026
A Fatal Explosion in Everyday Use
The 75-year-old New Jersey woman was doing something millions do every day: charging her phone. The Casely power bank sat on her lap in August 2024 when it exploded, inflicting second and third-degree burns across her body. She died from those injuries.
It was a grandmother using a product marketed as safe and convenient, sold through mainstream retailers like Amazon for between $30 and $70. The device failed spectacularly, turning a routine task into a fatal event that regulators only learned about after the initial recall.
Fire at 30,000 Feet
Aviation incidents involving lithium-ion batteries occupy a special category of terror. Passengers are trapped in a pressurized metal tube with limited firefighting resources.
A 47-year-old woman discovered this reality in February when her Casely power bank ignited during a flight, causing first-degree burns. The incident adds to a troubling pattern: U.S. airspace has seen 446 lithium battery incidents between 2006 and 2023, with 24 occurring in 2023 alone.
These involve phones, laptops, vapes, and portable chargers. The Casely case joins a separate recall of VRURC power banks after an onboard fire injured four crew members through smoke inhalation.
The Science Behind the Danger
Lithium-ion batteries fail through a process called thermal runaway. One cell overheats, triggering a chain reaction that spreads to adjacent cells, generating temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius.
At that heat, fires become nearly impossible to extinguish with standard methods. The Casely model E33A, a MagSafe-compatible wireless charger sold from March 2022 through September 2024, exhibits classic failure modes: overheating, physical swelling, and sudden ignition.
Manufacturing defects can compromise battery integrity, creating ticking time bombs in pockets, purses, and airplane seats. The technology powering modern convenience carries inherent risks that inadequate quality control transforms into deadly hazards.
Regulatory Failure and Consumer Apathy
The initial April 2025 recall should have ended this story. It didn’t. Twenty-eight new incidents, including the fatality and airplane fire, demonstrate a fundamental breakdown in the recall system. Either consumers never received the message, ignored it, or couldn’t be bothered to seek the free replacement Casely offers.
The CPSC now urges immediate cessation of use and proper disposal through hazardous waste facilities—not regular trash, where damaged lithium batteries can ignite garbage trucks and landfills.
Over 30,000 wireless power banks have been recalled due to fire and explosion risks, part of more than 1.1 million power bank recalls. The pattern screams systemic failure.
Recall reannounced for power banks after charger causes fire on plane, death to 75-year-old woman https://t.co/FYIEC5BmJ0
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) April 20, 2026
Personal responsibility matters here. Regulators can issue warnings, but they cannot physically remove dangerous products from homes and carry-ons. Consumers who ignore recalls because checking model numbers seems tedious or replacement seems inconvenient are gambling with their lives and the lives of everyone around them.
The 75-year-old woman’s death and the airplane passenger’s burns represent failures of diligence—both in manufacturing and in consumer response.
The Casely model E33A has “Casely” engraved on the front and “E33A” on the back. Checking takes thirty seconds. Replacement is free.
Sources:
Power bank recalled after fire on passenger plane injures four of the crew – AVSax
