Tragic electro-accident 15-year-old fatally injured by Iphone use in the bathtub

Teenage girl goes into the bathtub with a smartphone and dies

Last week, a young girl died in the bathtub in Russia because her smartphone fell into the water. The iPhone of the 15-year-old hung during use on the charging cable. Russian experts had previously warned about the dangers of mobile phones in bathrooms.

Smartphone fell into the water

15-year-old Irina Rybnikova from Bratsk, Siberia, Russia, died of electrocution last Saturday in her bathtub. According to a report in the British newspaper "The Sun", the girl was killed while bathing when her iPhone, which was charged with a cable, fell into the water. Family members found the lifeless adolescent in the water. This was not the first death caused by electronic devices in the bathtub.

Getting into the bath with your smartphone is not a good idea. Especially not if the device is connected via the charging cable to the mains. If the phone then falls into the water, there is a danger to life. (Image: WavebreakMediaMicro / fotolia.com)

Similar tragedies in the past

According to the newspaper report, the teenager was known in her home country as a successful martial artist in the field of pancreas, a mix of boxing and wrestling.

"She dreamed of one day becoming a world champion," said a friend of the girl.

Her 25-year-old sister Tatiana told the local newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda: "Our hearts are broken."

And her sports association spoke of a "tragic accident".

This would have been simply avoidable if the smartphone had not been connected via the cable to the mains.

According to the Sun, Russian security officials had previously warned about the dangers of charging mobile phones in bathrooms.

This is probably because similar accidents have already occurred in the past.

For example, Russian schoolgirl Kseniya P. was electrocuted in the bathroom in February when her charging smartphone fell into the water.

And in France, the previous month, a 21-pregnant woman had been electrocuted in her bath in France just days before delivery.

Do not use any appliances connected to the mains in the bathtub

If you use a cell phone in the bath water, it should never connect to the mains for charging.

"Everything that has a connection to the home network with 230 volts, should only be used at a great distance from the bathtub," said Dieter Haentzsch, professor in the field of "Electrical Systems and Equipment" at the University of Magdeburg-Stendal, according to a report by the portal " TechBook ".

But: "Battery-powered devices such as smartphones, laptops and e-book readers are no danger in the water due to the low voltage," said the expert. But you must not hang it on the charging cable.

After a shock to the doctor

Electric shock can have dramatic consequences for people - even if it does not take place in the water.

For example, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias may occur, sometimes resulting in ventricular fibrillation.

Then the heart beats so fast that it no longer effectively pumps blood into the circulation. The result can be a cardiac arrest.

In addition, there is a risk that the current tightens the pulmonary muscles, which in the worst case leads to respiratory arrest.

Health experts advise you to go to the doctor after an electric shock, even if you're supposed to be fine. Because cardiac arrhythmias can also occur late.

However, if you experience symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, heart-stomping, shortness of breath or chest cramps immediately after an electric shock, emergency medical care must be called immediately. (Ad)