A replacement unit of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s recalled Galaxy Note 7 began emitting smoke on a Southwest Airlines flight in the U.S., leading to the evacuation of the plane's passengers and crew while the aircraft was still at the gate, The Verge reported Oct. 5.

Brian Green, the owner of the smartphone involved in the incident, told The Verge that the device was a replacement unit obtained in an exchange at an AT&T Inc. store on Sept. 21.

Green said the Galaxy Note 7 had been turned off and placed in his pocket for the flight, but he noticed it had started to smoke. This caused him to drop the unit on the floor, and thick smoke started coming out of it. The plane was then safely evacuated through the main cabin door, the report said, citing a Southwest Airlines spokesperson.

A colleague of Green's re-entered the plane later to get some personal belongings and saw that the phone had burned through the carpet to scorch the subfloor of the aircraft, the report said.

The device had been at 80% battery capacity, Green said, adding that he used only a wireless charger with his replacement phone.

The Samsung Group unit said it has yet to retrieve the device and confirm that it is a new version of the Galaxy Note 7.

This incident comes after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a formal recall of Galaxy Note 7 phones, followed by Samsung's investigations of several consumer complaints related to the replacement devices.