A woman in Malaysia died on Sunday from electrocution while talking on her mobile phone as the device was charging.

Although the exact cause of the incident had not been confirmed, the death of 30-year-old Suhana Mohamad, from Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, had triggered a public scare over safety in the usage of the mobile devices.

According to local media reports, the mother of two had perished on her birthday.

Kajang District Police Chief Superintendent Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said her husband, a police officer with the Malaysian Special Branch Counter-Terrorism unit, was asleep in their home when she was struck by the electrical current.

“She was suddenly hit by the current caused by the phone that was being charged,” he was quoted saying in local Bahasa Malaysia-language newspaper Kosmo!.

He added that her husband, Raja Asri Raja Mat, 29, had rushed the victim to a nearby hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, a mobile device “expert” said the incident may have been caused by the use of uncertified mobile phone accessories.

Amin Ashaari, co-founder of tech website SoyaCincau.com, told The Star that many users were unaware of the dangers of using non-certified accessories for their mobile phones.

He said although the other conditions, such as the home’s electric circuit or usage of multi-plug adapters could lead to electrocution, ensuring safety standards on the accessories was paramount in preventing such incidences.

“From the gadget and device perspective, it is generally unsafe to use products that are not (recommended) by your reputable brand. People usually buy the cheapest cable (such as a chargers), but that could have its effects,” he told the paper.

Amin also cautioned that replacing an original mobile phone battery with a non-certified one would not protect the phone from overcharging.

“These batteries do not have protective devices that manufacturers install in their products to prevent incidents such as explosion,” he said.

(Asian Correspondant)