For millions of people, plugging in a phone is one of the last things they do before falling asleep.

The phone goes on the nightstand.

Sometimes it ends up beside them on the mattress.

And for some people—particularly children and teenagers—it may disappear underneath a blanket or pillow while still connected to a charger.

It seems harmless.

After all, phones charge every day without anything going wrong.

But firefighters have warned that where you charge a phone or tablet matters.

A device that generates heat while charging should not be buried beneath bedding or left charging on a soft, combustible surface.

The warning isn’t about creating panic over every plugged-in phone.

It’s about eliminating an unnecessary fire risk with one extremely simple change:

Charge phones and tablets on a hard, stable surface where heat can escape—not in the bed where you sleep.

The Fire Department Warning That Went Viral

In June 2017, the Newton, New Hampshire, Fire Department published a warning that quickly attracted widespread attention.

The department urged parents in particular to check where their children were charging phones and tablets.

Contemporary news reports preserved the central message.

The department warned that devices charging on beds or beneath pillows could become dangerously hot because heat was unable to dissipate normally.

Photographs accompanying the warning showed damaged bedding.

The message was straightforward:

Don’t charge phones and tablets in bed.

The warning spread rapidly online and was reported by news organizations around the country.

What About the Claim That 53% of Children Charge Devices in Bed?

The original warning included an eye-catching statistic.

It said research had found that 53% of children and teenagers charged a phone or tablet either on their bed or beneath their pillow.

That figure was repeated by multiple news organizations reporting on the fire department’s warning.

However, the reports available today don’t identify the underlying study well enough to independently evaluate the number.

So the statistic shouldn’t be presented as a current, established measurement of children’s charging habits.

The important part of the story doesn’t depend on that percentage anyway.

The fire-safety advice itself is supported by established guidance.

NFPA Says Not to Charge Devices on Beds or Under Pillows

The National Fire Protection Association has issued clear guidance concerning lithium-ion battery devices.

Its educational fire-safety material advises people:

• not to charge a device under a pillow,
• not to charge it on a bed,
• and not to charge it on a couch.

The reason is easy to understand.

Electronic devices and their batteries can generate heat during charging.

Putting them against soft insulating materials can interfere with heat dissipation.

Beds and couches also contain materials capable of burning if something goes seriously wrong.

A hard, stable charging location provides a much safer setup.

Why Does a Charging Phone Produce Heat?

Charging a battery isn’t a perfectly lossless process.

Energy is moving through the charging equipment and into the battery, and some energy is released as heat.

A phone becoming mildly warm during charging doesn’t automatically indicate that it’s dangerous.

Modern phones and chargers contain systems designed to manage charging and temperature.

But heat becomes more concerning when something isn’t functioning properly.

Potential problems can involve the battery, charging cable, adapter, charging port, physical damage, incompatible equipment, or manufacturing defects.

Covering the device with insulating material adds another unnecessary variable.

Your Pillow Is Designed to Hold Heat

Think about what bedding is supposed to do.

Blankets keep you warm.

Pillows provide insulation and comfort.

Mattresses contain layers of fabric, foam and other materials.

Those are useful characteristics for sleeping.

They’re not useful characteristics for cooling electronic equipment.

A phone sitting on a hard bedside table has open air around much of its surface.

Put the same phone underneath a pillow and you’ve changed the thermal environment.

That’s why “I always charge my phone overnight” and “I charge my phone underneath my pillow overnight” are not equivalent habits.

The location matters.

The Bigger Concern Is Lithium-Ion Battery Failure

Phones, tablets, laptops, wireless headphones, power banks and many other rechargeable products commonly rely on lithium-ion batteries.

These batteries allow a large amount of energy to be stored in a relatively compact space.

That’s why they’re so useful.

But damaged, defective, overheated or improperly charged lithium-ion batteries can present a fire hazard.

Battery failure can escalate rapidly.

This is why fire-safety organizations increasingly emphasize safe charging practices as rechargeable devices become part of virtually every household.

In fact, NFPA selected lithium-ion battery charging as the focus of its 2026 Fire Prevention Week campaign.

The message isn’t that lithium-ion batteries should frighten us.

It’s that devices containing them should be charged and handled correctly.

Know the Warning Signs

One of the most useful things you can learn is what abnormal battery behavior looks like.

NFPA advises people to stop using lithium-ion batteries if they notice warning signs including:

unusual odor,

discoloration,

excessive heat,

a change in shape,

leaking,

or strange noises.

These aren’t symptoms to ignore and see whether they disappear tomorrow.

If a device or battery starts behaving abnormally, stop treating it as an ordinary charging situation.

Follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions and keep yourself away from a developing hazard.

A Swollen Battery Is Not Normal

Battery swelling deserves particular attention.

You might notice that the back of a phone appears to be lifting.

A screen may begin separating from the frame.

A laptop trackpad or casing may bulge.

A battery pack may visibly expand.

Don’t press the device back together and continue using it.

Physical deformation can indicate battery failure.

Likewise, a device that suddenly becomes dramatically hotter than it normally does while performing the same task deserves attention.

Knowing what is normal for your electronics makes abnormal behavior easier to recognize.

Damaged Charging Cables Should Be Replaced

Many people keep charging cables far beyond the point when they should have been replaced.

The outer insulation cracks.

Wires become exposed.

The connector bends.

The cable works only when held at a particular angle.

People continue using it because technically it still charges the phone.

That’s a poor standard for electrical safety.

If a charging cable is visibly damaged, replace it.

The same applies to adapters that are cracked, damaged, scorched, loose, or behaving abnormally.

Charging equipment is inexpensive compared with the consequences of an electrical fire.

Use Equipment Designed for Your Device

Not every charger is equal.

The safest approach is to use charging equipment designed for and compatible with the device and from reputable manufacturers.

NFPA guidance recommends using charging equipment intended for the device.

Unknown or poorly made chargers can lack the quality control and protective features expected from reputable equipment.

A suspiciously cheap charger isn’t a bargain if its electrical safety is questionable.

Compatibility matters too.

Follow the device manufacturer’s charging specifications rather than improvising.

Does Leaving a Charger Plugged Into the Wall Automatically Cause a Fire?

No.

This point is worth clarifying because online warnings can become exaggerated.

A properly functioning modern charger remaining plugged into an outlet without a phone attached does not automatically become a fire hazard simply because it is plugged in.

The more relevant concerns are defective, damaged, counterfeit, incompatible, overheating, or poorly manufactured equipment.

If an adapter becomes unusually hot, emits an odor, buzzes abnormally, shows discoloration or has visible physical damage, stop using it.

The lesson shouldn’t become “every empty charger is about to catch fire.”

It should be:

Pay attention to the condition and quality of your electrical equipment.

Don’t Cover Charging Devices

This applies beyond smartphones.

Don’t bury a charging tablet beneath bedding.

Don’t cover a charging laptop with a blanket.

Don’t place a charging power bank under a pillow.

Don’t leave rechargeable equipment where heat cannot escape.

A device doesn’t have to be physically large to contain substantial stored energy.

Give charging electronics ventilation.

It’s one of the easiest precautions available.

The Nightstand Is a Better Location

For most people, the solution is simple.

If you use your phone as an alarm clock, you don’t need to remove it from the bedroom.

Move it to a safer charging surface.

A nightstand, desk or other hard, stable surface is preferable to a mattress, couch, pillow or blanket.

Keep the device uncovered.

Keep charging equipment in good condition.

Avoid positioning the setup where the phone can fall into bedding while you sleep.

You can still reach your alarm in the morning without sleeping beside a charging battery.

Parents Should Check Children’s Bedrooms

This was the most useful part of the Newton Fire Department’s original warning.

Children and teenagers may not think about electrical or battery safety when plugging in their devices.

They care that the phone is close.

A child might want to watch videos in bed until falling asleep.

A teenager may put the phone under a pillow so it’s within reach.

The device may remain charging for hours while everyone in the home is asleep.

Parents should physically look at where devices are being charged rather than assuming they’re on a desk.

The conversation can take less than a minute.

“Don’t charge this under your pillow. Put it here instead.”

That’s a much easier lesson to teach before an incident than afterward.

Don’t Charge Where a Fire Could Block Your Escape

Charging safety isn’t only about preventing ignition.

It’s also worth thinking about what would happen if something did catch fire.

Avoid creating charging setups that obstruct important exit routes.

This is particularly important for larger lithium-ion devices such as e-bikes and scooters, but the principle is useful throughout the home:

Keep escape routes clear.

A fire near the only practical way out of a room can turn a small incident into a much more dangerous emergency.

Smoke Alarms Still Matter

Safe charging is only one layer of home fire safety.

Every home should also have properly installed and functioning smoke alarms.

Test them according to current fire-safety recommendations and replace equipment when required.

Families should know how to get out of the house if an alarm sounds.

Children in particular should understand that a smoke alarm isn’t something to investigate.

It’s a signal to leave.

Electronics will never be more important than getting people safely outside.

Don’t Try to Rescue a Phone From a Serious Battery Fire

If a device has already ignited, your priorities change.

Your phone is replaceable.

You aren’t.

Don’t risk burns or smoke exposure trying to save an electronic device.

If a fire develops and cannot be handled safely, get everyone out, close doors behind you when possible, call emergency services from a safe location, and don’t reenter a burning home.

A phone worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars is still only property.

What If Your Phone Gets Warm While Charging?

Warmth alone doesn’t necessarily mean the battery is failing.

Phones can become warm during charging, particularly while they’re also performing demanding tasks.

The important question is whether the behavior is unusual.

Has the device suddenly become much hotter than it normally does?

Is there an unusual smell?

Is the battery swelling?

Has the color of the battery or device changed?

Is there smoke?

Are you hearing strange noises?

Those are very different circumstances from ordinary mild warmth.

When in doubt, stop charging the device and follow manufacturer guidance.

Don’t Charge Damaged Devices as Though Nothing Happened

Phones get dropped.

Power banks get crushed inside bags.

Laptops suffer impacts.

Charging cables are pulled and bent.

Sometimes everything continues working.

But significant physical damage shouldn’t automatically be ignored.

NFPA advises avoiding crushing, bending or dropping devices and chargers because physical damage can compromise battery or charging safety.

If a lithium-ion battery device has sustained serious damage and then begins heating, swelling or behaving strangely, stop using it and seek appropriate manufacturer or professional guidance.

Cheap Replacement Batteries Deserve Caution Too

A worn-out battery eventually needs replacement.

That doesn’t mean the cheapest replacement found online is necessarily the best option.

Lithium-ion batteries require manufacturing quality and proper safety controls.

Use batteries and replacement components appropriate for the device and obtained through reputable sources.

This is particularly important because the battery itself stores the energy involved in a potential failure.

The Original Warning Shouldn’t Be Turned Into Panic

The Newton Fire Department’s message became popular because the image of burned bedding was frightening.

But the most useful interpretation isn’t:

“Charging your phone overnight will burn your house down.”

That’s too broad.

Millions of phones charge safely every night.

The more accurate message is:

Don’t create unnecessary risk by charging a device on combustible bedding or trapping it beneath insulating material.

That is practical advice.

And it requires almost no sacrifice.

Five Seconds Can Improve Your Charging Setup

Before going to sleep tonight, look around your bedroom.

Where is your phone?

On a hard surface?

Or on the mattress?

Is the cable damaged?

Is the charger reputable and compatible?

Is the phone covered by blankets?

Does the device behave normally while charging?

Then check children’s bedrooms.

Look at tablets too.

Look at power banks.

Look at laptops.

A safer setup may require nothing more than moving a cable three feet.

Technology Changes, but Basic Fire Safety Doesn’t

Phones are more sophisticated than they were when the Newton warning went viral in 2017.

Battery-management systems have improved.

Charging technologies have changed.

But the basic principle remains sensible.

Heat needs somewhere to go.

Damaged electrical equipment shouldn’t be used.

Combustible materials should be kept away from potential heat sources.

And lithium-ion batteries showing signs of failure shouldn’t be ignored.

That’s why the same advice remains relevant years later.

Your Phone Doesn’t Belong Under Your Pillow

Most people wouldn’t deliberately put an electrical appliance underneath their pillow and leave it operating while they slept.

A smartphone feels different because it’s small and familiar.

We carry it everywhere.

That familiarity can make us forget that it is still an electronic device containing a rechargeable battery and connected to electrical charging equipment.

Treat it accordingly.

Put it on a hard, stable surface.

Keep it uncovered.

Use appropriate charging equipment.

Replace damaged cables.

Pay attention to unusual heat, odor, swelling, discoloration or other signs of trouble.

And teach children to do the same.

The phone can still be close enough to wake you in the morning.

It simply doesn’t need to share your pillow.

Tonight, before going to sleep, check where everyone in your home charges their devices. A few seconds spent moving a phone off a bed is an easy precaution that may eliminate an unnecessary fire risk.