Nokia plays down fears after mobiles catch fire

The manufacturer of Hong Kong's top-selling mobile phone brand Nokia yesterday insisted its products were safe following overseas reports of three of its devices bursting into flames.

According to Norwegian media, a schoolgirl was using a Nokia 3310 phone last week when it began to emit smoke and strange noises.

She flung the phone away and it exploded before hitting the ground. The girl was unhurt.

A Nokia spokeswoman said initial investigations showed the explosion was triggered by a fake battery used in the phone. Two other 3310 models have also reportedly caught fire within the past year but the causes have yet to be determined.

One case occurred less than a month ago in Taiwan when a woman noticed smoke coming from her backpack. A 3310 also caught fire in London last year, but the spokeswoman did not know the details of the incident.

The spokeswoman said Nokia was not concerned about the safety of the model. She said no such incidents had been reported in Hong Kong.