Six-year-old taken to hospital after Samsung Galaxy Note 7 explodes in his hands

Update: After speaking to the family, Samsung was able to determine that the smartphone in question was a 2014 Galaxy Core and not a Note 7, reports Android Police. The reason for the explosion is still being investigated, however it is unrelated to the battery defect affecting Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 devices.

Original story: A six-year-old boy suffered burns when a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone exploded in his hands. The child was using the phone to watch videos at his home in Brooklyn, New York when it "suddenly burst into flames", reports the New York Post.

The boy was taken to hospital where he was treated for burns to his body. He has now returned home, however his grandmother Linda Lewis told the publication her grandson is now too afraid to go near phones.

The family has been in touch with Samsung about the incident but declined to reveal any details of the conversation. A spokesperson told IBTimes UK: "We take every report very seriously and have contacted the Lewis family to learn more about their situation. As we are currently looking into this case, we are unable to comment further right now."

Samsung has issued a worldwide recall of Galaxy Note 7 smartphones following numerous reports of handsets catching fire. The fault is believed to be due a battery defect, a fact contested by its battery supplier. Nevertheless, the manufacturer is now reported to have switched suppliers.

The consequences for Samsung has been swift and severe. The company has seen $22bn (£16.5bn, €19.6bn) wiped from its market value after its stock dropped by 11% in just two days, meanwhile its attempts to recall defective devices have been hampered by airlines refusing to carry them as cargo.

Samsung has gone so far as to advise customers to refrain from powering up their device at all and instead return them to retailers to be refunded or exchanged. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has also waded into the matter and advised consumers to stop using the Galaxy Note 7 immediately.

Samsung has so far recalled some 2.5 million Note 7 units worldwide.