Using Your Cell While its Charging

Fact or Urban Legend?  I was reading a story on HeartStopper's blog about this guy that used his cell phone while it was charging and got jolted by electricity.  Not sure whether or not there is anything to really to prove this story but I thought it was very Friday the 13th'ish!!

Don't answer a cell phone while it is being CHARGED!! A few days ago, a person was recharging his cell phone at home.
Just at that time a call came through and he attended to it; with the instrument still connected to the mains. After a few seconds electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained and the person was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.
His parents rushed into the room only to find him unconscious, with weak heartbeats and burnt fingers. He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
A Cell phone is a very useful modern invention. However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death.
Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the mains!

Comments

[d3]

Well, Snopes says its true:

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/cellcharge.asp

Although I'm more worried about the spotaneous explosions than a jolt of electricity. There would have to be a number of concurrent failures for that to happen, so I belive its an isolated event.

[HeartStopper]

The information about the accidents at that site is scary. And yes, the explosion are really something to worry about. Anyways, only use original batteries spread the info.

[ollywompus]

lol, I've been using mine while plugged in for years.

however, the info about only using OEM batteries is a great tip that people should be aware of...

-olly

[Pon]

Most, if not all phones use 5v chargers. You could touch the positive to negative terminals of the charger on the output end with your fingers nad not feel anything. For one to be thrown accross the room, the charger would have ha to fail and cause a direct short from the outlet to the phone. Even then, the phone would have been distroyed. The person would have also had to be in direct contact with a metalic part of the phone (most phones have a plastic outer shell) for the electricty to have flowed through their body.

This sounds like an urban legend. There are way too many things that had to fail for something like this to happen. If, and I do stress IF... this did occur,this would be a very isolated incident. I'd worry more about the battery explosions, or being hit by lightning while walking on the moon.