This MagSafe power bank was recalled a year ago but people are still getting hurt

Think about how many products you use in your life that have the potential to cause injury — or worse — should they malfunction. Just how often do you check to see if any of them have been recalled? It feels like no more than a few months can pass between us hearing about the latest power bank recalls due to an unacceptable risk of them catching on fire. This week the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is sounding the alarm around a product that was already recalled last year, but still keeps hurting — and even killing — its users.

As most of you should probably know by now, the high-energy-density lithium ion batteries that power the majority of rechargeable electronics we use have a problem: They are practically begging for any opportunity to burst into flames. Even minor damage or excess heat can get this process started, and once it does, there’s little stopping it. So anytime a manufacturer identifies a problem that adds even more risk to this scenario, they need to act quickly to keep users safe — like Samsung did years ago with the whole Note 7 debacle.

One year ago, Casely announced a recall of its model E33A, a 5,000mAh MagSafe battery bank. At the time, there had been six confirmed reports of users suffering minor burns as a result of the power packs overheating or catching fire. In a perfect world, that would have been the end of things: Shoppers would learn about the recall, contact Casely for a replacement, and safely dispose of the risky product. And while some certainly did, the problems have only continued.

This week, the CPSC is sounding the alarm once again, because there have been 28 additional reports of overheating/fire incidents since the recall began — including the first fatality related to the charger. That death actually stems from a 2024 incident that predates the recall, and it’s not clear if it was only reported recently, or if the victim only succumbed to their burn injuries within the past year.

But make no mistake: These are very much still happening. The CPSC highlights a case from just this past February, when the Casely charger exploded while in use on an airplane. That one only resulted in first-degree burns, but given the setting, it could have been a lot worse.

How to avoid becoming a statistic yourself

If you own a Casely charger, first up: Stop using it right now. Verify whether or not it’s the affected model number E33A (see above) and if it is, follow Casely’s recall instructions for how to proceed.

Just whatever you do, don’t tell yourself that product recalls are being over-cautious, and that there’s nothing bad that could possibly happen to you and your charger. Product recalls are serious business, and your life just isn’t worth the risk.