Samsung admits liability in exploded Galaxy S25 Plus case, user claims (Updated: New Statement)

Update: January 23, 2025 (1:36 AM ET): Samsung has now shared an amended statement with us, attributing the incident to “external force.” Since the fire department’s investigation concluded that a thermal runaway event occurred, and per the user’s testimony, the phone was simply charging when the incident occurred, it’s unclear what the company means by referring to external force as the cause of the incident. Here’s the full, amended statement Samsung shared with us:

We stand behind the quality and safety of the millions of Samsung mobile devices in use across the world. While our analysis concluded external force was the cause, there was insufficient evidence to determine what was responsible for this isolated incident. We remain in contact with our customer to reach a resolution.

We also interviewed the affected user at length. You can read about his experience and the lessons to take away here.

Update: January 22, 2026 (4:35 PM ET): A spokesperson for Samsung Electronics America has reached out to Android Authority and provided the following statement:

We stand behind the quality and safety of the millions of Samsung mobile devices in use across the country. While our analysis could not determine a root cause responsible for this isolated incident, we remain in contact with our customer to reach a resolution.

Update: January 22, 2026 (3:08 AM ET): Android Authority has since been in direct contact with the affected user, who has shared documentation with us. We’ve reviewed the local fire department report, which confirms a thermal runaway event, as well as written communication showing Samsung has offered compensation covering the phone, medical expenses, cleanup costs, and a separate pain-and-suffering amount. This confirms that the incident did occur as described and that Samsung has made the compensation offer described in the original Reddit post. We’ve also reached out to Samsung US for a comment on the matter.

Original article: January 22, 2026 (2:07 AM ET): Samsung has reportedly admitted liability in a case involving a Galaxy S25 Plus that exploded while charging. The incident involved a two-month-old Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus that suffered a “thermal runaway event” in November 2025 at a home in Indiana, USA.

According to the user, the Galaxy S25 Plus was charging overnight using an official Samsung charger and cable when it exploded, caught fire, and burned through the family’s carpet. The user says everyone in the home inhaled fumes from the incident, leading to an urgent care visit for smoke inhalation and respiratory symptoms.

The family says they pursued the matter formally and submitted extensive documentation to Samsung, including a local fire department report explicitly confirming a thermal runaway event (battery overheating), medical records related to smoke inhalation, and receipts confirming the purchase of the phone and official charging accessories. The fire department reportedly held the damaged device for about a month before sending it to Samsung’s forensic team for an internal investigation.

After roughly two months, Samsung has now admitted liability for the incident, the user reports. According to their Reddit post, the company has agreed to reimburse the cost of the damaged Galaxy S25 Plus, cover the family’s direct medical bills, and pay for cleaning and restoration expenses related to the fire damage.

Samsung’s Fire and Marine Insurance team has also reportedly offered $500 per person to the user’s family, covering two adults and one child for what it describes as “pain and suffering” caused by the incident. However, the user feels this figure is very low, arguing that it doesn’t account for potential long-term health monitoring following exposure to lithium-ion battery fumes, as well as the psychological impact of waking up to what they describe as a chemical fire. The post adds that one family member is now genuinely afraid to charge her phone due to the trauma of the incident.

The Reddit user is now seeking advice from others who may have dealt with similar product liability cases. Samsung has not publicly commented on the specifics of the case beyond what the user has shared.

For now, this appears to be an isolated case. There’s no evidence of a widespread issue with the Galaxy S25 series and overheating batteries. That said, at least two other Galaxy S25-related fires have been reported previously. One involved a Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus in South Korea that allegedly caught fire when it wasn’t charging, and another involved a Galaxy S25 that reportedly began burning while charging inside a car.