Reminder: Cheap USB Chargers Can Be Dangerous

This is a horrible story: a woman in Sydney has died from electrocution, and the likely cause appears to be a cheap USB charger. The lesson for everyone: don’t buy chargers that don’t comply with Australian standards.

Power picture from Shutterstock

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the “a young woman wearing headphones and holding her laptop was found dead with burns on her ears and chest, in an apparent electrocution”. The charger she was using was apparently sourced from a market in Sydney’s south west which was selling gear that didn’t comply with Australian safety standards, lacking insulation and being made of plastic that could melt.

It’s not surprising that people seek out cheaper chargers, especially given the high mark-up on some brands. The takeaway here is not to buy items that aren’t packaged, since that makes it impossible to check if they comply with the relevant standards. Saving money is not worth risking your life.

Warning over USB chargers after woman dies from apparent electrocution [Sydney Morning Herald]


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