Boy's Samsung tablet overheats and burns bed

A tablet overheated while on charge and burnt through a mattress as a young boy slept

An 11-year-old boy escaped injury after his Samsung tablet overheated while on charge and melted through his mattress as he slept, a fire service said.

When he woke the next day he discovered a hole down to the bed springs while his room was covered in black soot in Keepers Close, Burntwood.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was "fortunate" the smouldering device did not turn into a full fire.

The BBC has contacted Samsung for a comment.

The device was bought brand new four years ago and connected to an official charger when it smouldered overnight last Thursday, the fire service said.

Firefighter Brad Robins said the boy's family had been "greatly shocked".

"It serves as a stark reminder not to leave items charging on materials that could catch fire when hot," he said.

He warned users to:

• Always place phones and tablets onto a safe surface when charging

• Buy genuine chargers for items and follow the manufacturer's instructions

• Register product in case there is a product recall

• Ensure smoke alarms are working correctly by testing them regularly

Mr Robins said the building did not have working smoke alarms, which may have alerted the family to the incident earlier.