Can a mobile phone actually melt/burn/explode?

[Robbo]

iPhone battery spontaneously melts and leaks acid onto owner's hand but Apple refuse to replace it, New York woman claims

• Shibani Bhujle went to a Manhatten Apple store to report the problem but they refused to replace the handset
• Marketing manager said phone suddenly started to smell of burning and liquid was oozing out to the battery
• Angry New Yorker says she expected more from the firm who told her to buy a new phone

A New York marketing executive claims her iPhone 4S battery melted this week oozing acid that destroyed her handset, but Apple are refusing to offer her any compensation.

Marketing manager Shibani Bhujle told Quartz.com the concerning meltdown occurred when the phone was turned off and sitting on her coffee table.

Despite her claims, Apple are refusing to replace the handset and have told her she needs to pay $200 for her insurance to provide a new phone.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-22...ple-refuse-replace-New-York-woman-claims.html

First of all, apologies for the Daily Mail sensationalist story.

Now, can a phone actually damage itself in this way? I remember last year a chap claimed his Galaxy S 3 exploded or similar (and this was debunked).

Surely this is just a woman trying to pull a fast one, how could a presumptively small acid leak make the phone look like this:

At the very least, she's damaged it before any 'acid' problems.