In the US a mobile phone ignited in a man's pocket and started a fire that burned his hotel room and caused severe burns over half his body, fire department officials said.

The man has second- and third-degree burns to his upper body, back, right arm and right leg.

Firefighters arrived at the residential hotel Saturday night to find Picaso lying on the bathroom floor after a malfunctioning cell phone in his pants pocket set fire to his nylon and polyester clothes.