DHAKA: US safety regulators have issued an officials order to recall 1 million units of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones over fire issue due to faulty battery.

According to the tech giant Samsung, about 2.5 million phones have been affected around the globe including 1 million in the US alone.

The recall order came in a crucial time when their prime rival Apple has launched new iPhone 7 models.

“Because this product presents such a serious fire hazard, I am urging all consumers... to take advantage of this recall right away,” Elliot Kaye, chairman of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

Kaye said Samsung should not have tried to do the recall by itself, saying “Anybody who thinks that a company going out on its own is going to provide the best recall for that company, and more importantly for the consumer, needs to have more than their phone checked,”

So far, Samsung has received 92 reports of the batteries overheating in the US, including 26 reports of burns and 55 of property damage, according to the commission's reports.

The company said it would speed up its recall, with Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America saying that ‘consumer safety is always our highest priority’.

The US Department of Transportation meanwhile has ordered airline passengers not to bring the phones on planes unless they keep them turned off and don't charge them during the flight.

On 2 September the firm said it would stop selling the phones and offered to replace the ones already sold.

The company last week advised people to stop using the device.

A number of airlines around the globe have also banned the phone from being used or charged on their planes.

The phone was launched on 19 August and had been generally well-received by critics and consumers.

BDST: 1334 HRS, SEP 16, 2016
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