A number of Chinese iPhone users claimed that their smartphones reportedly exploded or caught fire, state-run Shanghai Consumer Council revealed and called on Apple's attention to address the issue.

The consumer watchdog allegedly received at least eight complaints between Sept.  1 and Nov. 30, 2016 that their iPhones spontaneously combusted when used or charged, the International Business Times reported.

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The report, which was posted on Friday on the group's website, revealed that one woman claimed that her iPhone 6s Plus exploded last August, which caused the unit's screen to shatter and left the battery and some parts blackened. Although the woman was replaced with a new unit, Apple refused to reveal the cause of the problem.

Another man said he bought is iPhone 6 on November 2014 and witnessed it burn spontaneously on Sept. 30, 2016. He claimed that the phone was on normal standby and it suddenly emit smoke and combusted spontaneously.

This is the third time Chinese consumer groups have formally submitted a complaint over the past few weeks.

"Apple should be responsible for consumers," the council wrote. "A large number of consumer complaints have not been effectively resolved. We call upon Apple to deal with various types of consumer complaints in a timely manner."

On the other hand, Apple said that the fires were due to external physical damage and were not caused by manufacturing fault, the Phone Arena noted. The company further encouraged its consumers to seek help on Apple Stores or through its support system.

Meanwhile, Apple also offered free replacements for iPhone 6s batteries that experienced "accidental shutdown." The offer is available only for units manufactured between September and October 2015. 

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