A teen in Russia’s Altai region was mauled by a grizzly when he tried to escape, but a sudden smartphone explosion startled the animal and halted its assault.
The device’s lithium‑ion battery caught fire under the bear’s teeth, producing a flash and a loud bang that caused the predator to recoil and run into the woods.
He sustained severe head, facial, and neck injuries and was rushed to Biysk Central City Hospital before being airlifted to Moscow for specialised surgery, according to chief physician Sergei Kovyazin.
Wildlife officials say the bear was found 12 miles from the remote village of Solton; head of the Belovodye hunting reserve, Sergey Bundin, pledged to pursue the animal until it is neutralised.
A friend on the scene unleashed dogs that helped subdue the bear, and the boy’s family is now awaiting the outcome of the medical treatment and the status of the hunt.