California woman hospitalized with chemical burns after portable charger explodes while sleeping

A Los Angeles-based sports reporter had a scary morning earlier this month, when her portable charger suddenly exploded while she was sleeping, leaving her with chemical burns on her arm and hair and a hole in her bed.

"PSA to anybody that uses a portable charger: don’t," Ashley Nevel said in a video she posted to her social media on Feb. 15. "Mine literally just exploded in my bed. Everything caught on fire. My mattress — burned a hole through it. I literally have nowhere to sleep."

She explained that she has an emergency fire blanket that was a housewarming gift from her dad, according to KCAL-TV, that she believes saved her life.

"Stop using portable chargers," she reiterated. "I smell like smoke. My entire apartment needs to be cleaned to get the toxicity out. I can’t even stay there. It’s really bad. So, don’t use a portable charger. Make sure you have a fire blanket handy because it honestly saved my life, and I’m just grateful to be alive."

DON'T IGNORE APPLE'S URGENT SECURITY UPDATE

After she got back from the hospital, Nevel added, "Another terrifying part of all of this is my phone was charged. It was charging in the charger, and it overheated when the charger exploded, so I couldn’t call 911. I couldn’t make any phone calls."

She said she was forced to run out on her balcony and scream for others to call 911 — all after waking up to the explosion at 5 a.m.

"Thankfully my neighbors were like, amazing," she said, adding that emergency responders arrived within three minutes.

URGENT RECALL: 13K CHARGERS SOLD AT TJ MAXX, MARSHALLS MAY EXPLODE DURING USE

"When you’re dealing with something like that, fight or flight kicks in," she said. "You have no f---ing idea what to do."

Later, she also suggested that banning portable chargers on airplanes altogether might be a good idea.

"What if I was on an airplane and that happened?" she questioned. "What do you do in that situation? Like, everyone is in danger with a small little charger and I never thought that was going to happen to me."

She added that she’s been walking around with portable chargers for years.

"You never think something is going to happen to you, and I’m just more thankful it isn’t more serious than it could have been," she continued. "Yeah, throw away your portable chargers."

High school senior facing more than 300 felony charges in alleged sextortion scheme targeting minors: reports

A Pennsylvania high school senior is facing hundreds of felony charges after authorities reportedly accused him of operating a "large-scale criminal network" involving sextortion and catfishing.

Zachariah Abraham Meyers, 18, of McMurray — about 15 miles southwest of Pittsburgh — was arrested Friday and charged with more than 300 felonies, including trafficking in minors, sexual extortion, unlawful contact with a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, among other offenses, according to a court docket obtained by Fox News Digital.

Police allege Meyers, a senior at Peters Township High School, used social media platforms, including TikTok and Snapchat, to lure the victims into communicating with him, according to local outlets WTAE and WPXI.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER ARRESTED IN ALLEGED SEX CASE INVOLVING STUDENT

Investigators interviewed 30 underage boys during the probe and identified at least 21 victims, WPXI reported.

Authorities say Meyers used photos of other people to catfish the victims. One of the alleged false identities included was that of an adult film actress from another country, according to WTAE and WPXI.

"Meyers was able to deceive and coerce juvenile males into sending explicit pornographic images and videos of themselves," authorities said.

FAMILY OF OHIO TEACHER ‘CLINGING TO FAITH’ AFTER EX-'AMERICAN IDOL' CONTESTANT HUSBAND CHARGED WITH HER MURDER

Evidence recovered from Meyers’ phone allegedly linked him to the criminal activity, WPXI reported.

Meyers is being held at Washington County Prison pending a preliminary hearing.

He was denied bail and is considered both a danger to the community and a flight risk, according to the court docket.

In a statement provided to WTAE, the Peters Township School District said police informed the district of the ongoing investigation.

MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL LOCKED DOWN AFTER SHOOTING LEAVES ONE PERSON INJURED

"The Police have indicated that there is no immediate safety risk to our schools, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation," the Peters Township School District said in a statement. 

"The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our highest priority, and we appreciate all the efforts of the Peters Township Police in this matter."

The Peters Township School District and the Peters Township Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

About Us

Virtus (virtue, valor, excellence, courage, character, and worth)

Vincit (conquers, triumphs, and wins)