Over 70 Note 7 overheating incidents have been reported in the United States alone

The number of incidents involving the Galaxy Note 7 may be higher than initially thought.

In the United States alone, there were over 70 reports of the Note 7 overheating, according to an official statement from the Canadian consumer safety authority, Health Canada.

Only one Note 7 overheating report was filed so far in Canada, where 22,000 Galaxy Note 7 units were sold between the official launch on August 19 and the announcement of the recall on September 1.

The ~70 incidents recorded in the US and Canada are more than double the figure that Samsung previously disclosed. On September 1, the company said it had knowledge of around 35 incidents where the Note 7 overheated, caught fire, or exploded. Samsung estimated then that the battery issue causing these incidents should only affect 1 in every 42,000 units.

It’s likely that not every incident of the 70 reported in the US involved a Note 7 actually catching fire. The Health Canada statement only mentions “overheating,” and it’s reasonably safe to assume that some of the incidents were phones that simply got hot while charging, potentially within normal operating range. With the media frenzy surrounding the recall, and multiple reports of injury and property damage, it’s likely that more than a few Note 7 users preferred to err on the side of caution.

Still, 70 reports is a significant number that makes it easier to understand why Samsung decided to conduct a complete recall, rather than a limited one.