Karmactive Team
Romoss Technology, one of China’s biggest power bank makers, has suspended all operations for six months following safety issues with its products. The Shenzhen-based company recalled nearly 490,000 power banks from three models made between June 2023 and July 2024 after metal debris was found in battery cells, creating dangerous overheating risks.
The crisis reached a breaking point in March 2025 when a Romoss 20,000 mAh power bank caught fire mid-air on Hong Kong Airlines Flight HX115 from Hangzhou to Hong Kong. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Fuzhou after passengers and crew managed to extinguish the flames.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Before the flight emergency, multiple fires had been reported at Beijing universities, where at least 21 institutions banned Romoss products after tests showed their power banks reaching temperatures as high as 87 degrees Celsius – five times higher than normal industry standards.
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The recall affects three specific models: PAC20-272, PAC20-392, and PLT20A-152. The company traced the problem to a battery cell supplier, Apex Wuxi, who reportedly changed separator materials in battery cells without authorization. These separators prevent short circuits inside batteries.
China’s aviation regulator has banned passengers from carrying power banks without proper certification or those on recall lists on all domestic flights. This follows a surge in incidents involving overheating lithium batteries on planes. According to state-owned media CCTV, there have been 15 incidents this year alone where passenger power banks caught fire or emitted smoke during flights.
Xiong Kang, vice president of Anker Innovations, which also recalled power banks from the same supplier, estimated that potentially 20 to 30 million defective battery cells were produced, with the defect rate possibly higher than current recall numbers suggest.
For Romoss’s 690+ employees, the company announced a furlough with salaries reduced to 80% of Shenzhen’s minimum wage. Only a small team will continue working to manage the recall process.
Safety experts recommend consumers immediately stop using affected power banks and dispose of them properly through hazardous waste facilities. When purchasing new power banks, look for proper safety certifications and avoid using them while charging other devices.
