Fitbit has denied reports that suggested one of the company’s fitness trackers had exploded during regular use.
Last week, Wisconsin resident Dina Mitchell claimed she had been reading a book when her Fitbit Flex 2 malfunctioned, causing second-degree burns and requiring a trip to the hospital to have melted pieces of plastic removed from her arm.
Fitbit was quick to respond to the report, and began an investigation into what had actually occurred.
The company believes Mitchell’s Flex 2 had not malfunctioned, and said that, based on its initial investigation including testing from a “leading third-party failure analysis firm”, the damage to the fitness tracker was caused by “external forces”.
“We have not received any other complaints of this nature and we want to assure our customers that they can continue to enjoy their Flex 2 and all Fitbit products with confidence,” a Fitbit spokesperson told Ars Technica and other news outlets.
“The health and safety of our customers is our top priority and, as such, Fitbit products are designed and produced in accordance with strict standards and undergo extensive internal and external testing to ensure the safety of our users,” the spokesperson added.
