Given the possibility of theft, damage, and loss, packing your laptop in a checked bag is not a good idea to begin with. Even so, travelers continue to stow their computers and other large electronics in their checked luggage. But that could come to an end, now that the Federal Aviation Administration has urged airlines around the world to stop this practice, citing the fire and explosion risk posed by the batteries in these devices. [More]
explosions
Don’t Use These Recalled Fireworks & Other July 4th Safety Tips
By 6.27.17 — Updated: 6.30.17
Each year, tens of thousands of people are injured in fireworks accidents. While these incidents can occur when someone is ill-trained in setting off the brightly colored explosives, they can also be the result of defective products, such as the 36,000 TNT Red, White, & Blue Smoke fireworks now under recall. [More]
SodaStream Recalls 51K Bottles That Could Explode Under Pressure
By 2.22.17
When making a carbonated beverage at home you might expect there to be a little bit of pressure during the process, but probably not enough to make a bottle explode. Yet that’s what tens of thousands of recently recalled SodaStream bottles could do. [More]
Senator: Regulators Should Investigate E-Cigarette Explosions, Issue Recalls
By 12.19.16
Despite their popularity, e-cigarettes are a “ticking time bomb” that should be more closely investigated by federal regulators and recalled if necessary, according to New York Senator Chuck Schumer. [More]
FAA Considers Banning Samsung Galaxy Note 7; Another User Reports Explosion
By 9.7.16
Samsung still hasn’t officially recalled the Galaxy Note 7, its new smartphone that has a rare but very problematic issue with exploding batteries. While the company has admitted that the phones are defective and has an exchange program in place, it’s not an official recall through the Consumer Products Safety Commission. That’s a problem for the Federal Aviation Administration, since the phone would automatically be banned from planes if it had been recalled. It hasn’t, so it’s not. [More]
Facebook Internet Satellite Destroyed Spectacularly In Rocket Failure
By 9.1.16
There was an “anomaly” today during testing of a SpaceX rocket at Cape Canaveral… the kind of “anomaly” that creates a spectacular fireball, goes “BOOM,” and leaves a smoke plume in the sky. Happily, nobody was hurt during the incident. However, one very expensive piece of high-profile technology went BOOM along with. [More]
Setting Off A Firecracker Inside A Walmart Is Not A Good Way To Distract From Video Game Theft
By 11.10.14
There’s typically no shortage of interesting happenings at Walmart stores across the country. Just last week a teenager allegedly set fire to a display of christmas-themed stuffed animals, and this week a man allegedly set-off a firecracker in the video game aisle. [More]
Can’t Make It Up: GM Recalls Vans For Explosion Risk, Fiat Recalls Cars For Leg Airbag Irregularities
By 9.18.14
The only time I want to see a car blow up is in an action movie where it’s filled with bad guys. I don’t want to see a van driving down the highway burst into flames because of a natural gas leak. That’s probably why General Motors issued yet another recall Thursday, just a few hours after Fiat Chrysler announced the recall of several thousand cars because of an issue with leg airbags. [More]
Great, My Acer Laptop Battery Exploded
By 3.14.13
Did you think that the laptop battery explosion epidemic was over? No, it’s not just in the Boeing Dreamliner. Bill’s Acer laptop battery exploded not long ago: of course, he bought it in 2011 and the computer is now out of warranty. Acer is happy to take the computer back, but only to look at it for a “safety evaluation” and maybe to not send it back to Bill. He doesn’t think that this is fair. He sent the relevant exploded parts back to Acer, but doesn’t want to send back his hard drive or the rest of the computer. He wants replacement parts so he can get it working again. [More]
New York City: Where Manholes Explode And Destroy Radio Shack (With Video!)
By 2.11.10
Manholes have been exploding more than usual in NYC lately. For those of you who have never lived in NYC, the street randomly explodes at pretty frequent intervals. Sometimes it’s a steam pipe, sometimes it’s electrical. Right now firefighters are putting out a Radio Shack that was a little too close to an exploding manhole/transformer situation. We have video of that, plus three other recent explosions. [More]
Air Compressor Company Re-Recalls 700,000 Products After Continuing To Receive Injury Complaints
By 10.9.09
In 2006, DeVilbiss recalled nearly 700,000 pressure washers and air compressors to replace the pneumatic tires, which were sometimes bursting on models that used plastic rims. Apparently not enough consumers responded then, because the complaints keep rolling in, so they’ve announced a do-over.
Citgo Employees Smoke Cigarettes At Gas Station, Are Apparently Fireproof
By 7.22.09
Maybe these guys know something about the risks of combining fire and gasoline that we don’t, but we’re pretty sure that you’re not supposed to smoke at a gas station. Reader Chris didn’t think so either, and he sent us these pics of employees taking a smoke break at his local Citgo.
Please Handle Your Balls Carefully While Exercising
By 4.17.09
The CPSC has issued a hazard warning for Bally Total Fitness, Everlast, Valeo, and Body Fit fitness balls, due to instances of overinflation “causing the user to fall to the floor”.
Arizona May Legalize Fireworks, Putting Fools Throughout The State In Grave Danger
By 3.20.09
Consumer-grade fireworks are currently illegal in Arizona, but the sate government is considering passing a bill that would give the fire marshal the power to regulate the sale of them. This has caused an outcry from anti-fireworks types who say that even the less powerful consumer-grade products are too dangerous. Unfortunately, one of the most publicized opponents is a guy who was severely burned in 2004 because he was launching mortar-style fireworks from his moving car, and one blew back in through the window and set his stash on fire.
Apple Agrees To Replace Exploding First-Gen iPods After Japan Demands Action
By 8.19.08
In what should have been a no-brainer, Apple today agreed to replace any iPod Nanos that unexpectedly explode. The announcement came as a response to the Japanese government, which yesterday asked the computer-maker to “take some measures” to warn consumers of the potential danger of their little pocket rockets. Apple blames a single bad battery supplier for the spontaneous fireworks.
New Jersey Man Blows Up Apartment While Spraying For Bugs
By 7.26.08
Don’t call Isias Vidal Maceda for advice if you see a creepy critter crawling across your apartment. While spraying for bugs, the New Jersey resident blew out his kitchen windows and started a fire that destroyed 80% of his apartment. Sound outlandish? According to TV, it’s entirely plausible…
Fourth AT&T Cable Box Explodes, Darn You, Lithium-Ion Batteries!
By 1.17.08
Another of AT&T’s big metal cable boxes placed on people’s lawns has exploded. The system’s lithium-metal-polymer batteries are the culprit, prompting AT&T to replace 17,000 of them. Four of the U-Verse cabinets have exploded since the program began.
