According to Dina Mitchell of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, her Fitbit Flex 2 Fitness Tracker exploded on her arm, giving her second-degree burns. ABC7 reports that Mitchell was sitting and reading a book last Tuesday night – wearing the Fitbit on her arm – when it happened and there was no indication that anything was wrong prior to the incident. The Fitbit tracker device had reportedly been a birthday gift.
No warning before the Fitbit Flex 2 device exploded
According to Mitchell, the Fitbit device didn’t heat up first and there was no warning prior to the incident saying it “burst into flames” and exploded.
Mitchell told WISN News on Monday this week that it caught on fire and exploded, adding that there was plastic melting into her skin as she quickly tried to rip the fitness tracking device off her arm and threw it onto her wooden floor, where it left a burn mark. She said her skin was “like plastic and blood,” and that her doctor had to remove pieces of rubber and plastic from her arm following the incident. She said she was in shock after it happened and that it “really hurt.” A local emergency medical specialist confirmed that Mitchell had been treated the day after the Fitbit Flex 2 device allegedly exploded and burst into flames.
A woman claims that her @fitbit exploded on her wrist: https://t.co/pJnXIom2U4 pic.twitter.com/3krksuF5dQ
— WHIOTV (@whiotv) April 24, 2017
Mitchell called the company but initially got no response.
She then called again, giving Fitbit a detailed description of what had happened when the device allegedly exploded. Reportedly the day after the incident, the company offered her a free replacement device.
WISN News reports that Fitbit fitness trackers do come with a warning that the device contains electrical equipment known to cause injury if handled incorrectly.
However, that does not appear to be the case here.
Fitbit ‘extremely concerned’ about the incident
Fitbit later said in a statement that the company was “extremely concerned” about what happened to Mitchell regarding her Fitbit Flex 2 and that they take the incident “very seriously.” They added that the health and safety of their customers is their top priority.
According to Fitbit, they are not aware of any other similar complaints regarding their fitness devices and they see no reason for people to stop using them. They are, however, continuing to investigate the incident.
However, when Mitchell was asked her reaction after the incident, she said that she cannot believe that “something so dangerous is everywhere.”
