A Brazilian mechanic survived a terrifying dog attack in the most unexpected way — thanks to his exploding smartphone.
Reinaldo Duarte de Almeida was walking to his garage for work on Wednesday, 18 February, when two stray dogs suddenly ran toward him and attacked on a public sidewalk.
According to local reports, the situation escalated quickly when one of the dogs lunged straight at his neck. In a split-second reaction to protect himself, Almeida shifted his body. That movement caused the dog to bite into his trousers instead — right where his smartphone was kept in his pocket.
What happened next was something no one could have predicted.
The dog’s teeth reportedly punctured the phone’s lithium-ion battery. The intense pressure triggered an immediate explosion, causing a blast and fire that injured both Almeida and the animal. The sudden explosion was enough to frighten the dogs away, effectively ending the attack.
Burns, Stitches — And a Lucky Escape
Following the incident, Almeida was transported to an Emergency Care Unit. He suffered burns to his leg and the fingers of one hand. He also required eight stitches to treat one of the dog bite wounds.
Despite the frightening ordeal, Almeida has since been discharged and is said to be “doing well.”
In a surprising turn, he has decided not to press charges against the dogs’ owners. According to reports, they apologized and promised to cover all his medical expenses as well as replace the destroyed phone.
“It Was Dangerous, But It Saved Me”
Reflecting on the bizarre chain of events, Almeida described the explosion as both frightening and life-saving.
“It was dangerous, but it saved me. It was bizarre. This cell phone was only 20 days old, but it saved my life,” he told local media.
While modern smartphones are generally built with strict safety standards, their lithium-ion batteries can explode if punctured. In this case, the dog’s tooth piercing the device appears to have triggered the combustion — a rare malfunction that may have prevented a potentially fatal throat injury.
What would normally be considered a disastrous tech failure ended up acting as an unlikely shield at the exact moment it was needed most.
