More than two years after 149,000 dishwashers from multiple major brands — including Bosch and Kenmore — were recalled following reports that power cords could overheat and burst into flames, the safety campaign has been expanded to cover another 408,000 dishwashers. [More]
fires
Family Says Fidget Spinner Caught Fire While Charging
By 7.18.17
Fidget spinners and hoverboards don’t have much in common on the surface, but they might be more alike than you think: Both are (or were) uber-popular toys for kids, appeared on the streets almost overnight, and can explode… if the toy contains a battery. [More]
Honda Recalls 2.1M Accord Sedans Over Increased Battery Fire Risk
By 7.14.17 — Updated: 7.17.17
For the second time today we’re telling you about a potentially fiery situation leading to the recall of vehicles. This time involving nearly 2.1 million Honda vehicles that contain faulty battery sensors that increase the risk of engine fire. [More]
Fiat Chrysler Recalls Nearly 1.3M Dodge, Jeep Vehicles Over Airbag Deployment, Fire Risks
By 7.14.17
Of all of things you don’t want to happen to your car, bursting into flames or having the airbags deploy without actually being in a crash are probably pretty close to the top. Yet, those are exactly the issues plaguing 1.3 million recently recalled Fiat Chrysler vehicles. [More]
BMW Owners Say Their Parked Cars Are Going Up In Flames
By 5.11.17
When you park your car, turn the engine off, and walk away, you have a reasonable expectation that when you return the vehicle will be in the same spot and in the same condition as when you left. But some BMW owners say they’ve returned only to find their car in flames. Now, these owners and fire officials from across the country are asking why. [More]
Woman Says Her Bluetooth Speaker Smoldered On Bed
By 3.30.17 — Updated: 4.3.17
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous in our gadget-filled lives. You probably have multiple devices containing one within reach right now. It’s easy to forget how dangerous they can be, as a New Jersey family did when a speaker sitting on a bed began to give off smoke. [More]
Ford Recalls 441,000 Vehicles Over Fire Risk, Door Latch Issues
By 3.29.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Driving a car that is on fire or that has doors popping open is impressive, but not recommended. For that reason, you should be aware of Ford’s latest recalls. [More]
Additional Hoverboards Recalled Over Fire, Explosion Risk
By 3.24.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Last year, federal safety regulators recalled 501,000 ”hoverboards” from eight manufacturers amid concerns that the not-actually-hovering devices’ lithium-ion battery packs posed a fire hazard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has added another manufacturer and 500 scooters to the recall list. [More]
Factory That Made Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Batteries Catches Fire (Yes, Really)
By 2.8.17
It sounds like something straight out of The Onion, but it’s true: A factory in China that manufactured batteries for the now-defunct Samsung Galaxy Note 7 line of phones — all recalled due to their propensity for the batteries to burst into flame — itself suffered a fire this morning. [More]
Apple Says iPhone Fires In China Are From “External Factors,” Not The Device
By 12.7.16
In the wake of Samsung’s massive, confusing recall of Galaxy Note 7 devices that could smoke, catch fire, and explode, consumers around the world are drawing attention to similar issues with other smartphones, including some battery fires with iPhones in China. However, Apple contends that these thermal incidents have nothing to do with the design of its signature phone. [More]
After $4.8M In Property Damage, Millions Of Dehumidifiers Recalled
By 11.3.16
Dehumidifiers are meant to protect homes from mold and mildew, not burn them down. Yet, that’s apparently a possibility for 3.4 million dehumidifiers — covering dozens of brands, including GE, Honeywell, Kenmore, and Sunbeam — that are being recalled after being linked to $4.8 million in property damage. [More]
Apple Investigating Report Of iPhone 7 Catching Fire
By 10.21.16
While we’ve heard numerous reports of Samsung smartphones and tablets overheating and catching fire — sometimes destroying property and injuring customers — now Apple is on the receiving end of at least one similar report. [More]
Report: Samsung Rushed Galaxy Note 7 To Beat Predictable iPhone 7 To Market
By 9.19.16
The Galaxy Note 7 has been plagued by reports of fires and explosions almost since the day it launched. After a few tumultuous weeks and a “product exchange,” the phone finally received an official safety recall on Sept. 15. But Samsung’s been making smartphones for a while now. The previous iterations of the Galaxy Note, and the company’s other popular series, the Galaxy S, generally do not explode. So how did they blow it so badly on this one? [More]
Nissan Tells Owners Of 120K Recalled Cars To Park Outside Over Fire Concerns
By 9.9.16
The last thing you want to worry about after coming home from a long day at work is whether or not parking your car in the garage will start a fire. For some Nissan vehicles, that’s apparently a possibility, with the carmaker warning owners of 120,000 recently recalled SUVs and sedans to keep their vehicles outdoors until they are repaired.
[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]
Overheated iPhone Burns Through 12 Pages Of Notebook Paper
By 5.4.16
Mobile phones are our constant companions, yet it’s easy to forget that they’re electronic devices packed full of delicate components and tiny but powerful rechargeable batteries. The Cherry Hill, NJ fire department says that this resident’s iPhone 6 overheated and burned through 12 pages of a notebook. [More]
Ford Recalls 48,300 Vehicles Over Fire Hazard, Airbag Deployment Issues
By 4.1.16
Incorrectly positioned airbags, heaters that can cause a fire, and parking brakes that can fail. Those are three things you probably don’t want to occur in your vehicle. But for thousands of Ford owners it’s a possibility and the carmaker has issued three recalls to fix things. [More]
Walmart Employee Drags Unconscious Woman From Her Burning Car
By 1.8.16
When employees of a Pennsylvania Walmart learned that there was a car on fire in the parking lot early in the morning on New Year’s Day, they didn’t sit around, stare into space, and wait for the fire department to show up. An overnight employee ran outside with a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze… and that’s when he noticed an unconscious woman inside the locked vehicle. [More]
