05-20-2009, 02:59 AM

Tonight I went to bed around 12 as usual but I woke up around 1:30 smelling burning plastic. Turns out my MacBook Pro was on fire. Smoke was pouring out the seam between the unibody and bottom enclosure. I actually burned my hand pretty badly ripping the adapter out. Oh man. This is reallllly scary because what if I didn't wake up? It could of burned my house down.

I guess I'm going to the Apple Store first thing in the morning. I don't know what they'll do. What do you guys think??

05-20-2009, 03:58 AM

Wow that is crazy. I've kept my MB on for a month and have never turned it off or restarted it. Never ran into any heating issues either. >_>"

05-20-2009, 07:13 AM

I woke up this morning with the scorched power cord too!! Not as bad as that. I already order a new one coming tomorrow. It still works but I won't be leaving unattended tonight for sure.

05-20-2009, 07:33 AM

I assume you will get a replacement there and then if not very soon. If you push for the newer model carefully you may get it.

05-20-2009, 08:21 AM

Dude. Wow, just. Wow.

05-20-2009, 08:35 AM

oh man, if this happened to my dad, the first thing he would have done is go see his lawyer!! That is NOT supposed to happen!!!!! And is not something to take lightly!

I would go to them and say, "I don't want the same thing to happen again, and I don't want something cheaper. So, you can exchange it for a new 17", or i can contact someone(lawyer) who handles these matters better than I can by myself."

05-20-2009, 01:33 PM

Ken, Sorry to hear about the fire. I've been a firefighter for 12 years, I've seen my fair share of burnt electronics.

If Apple does not cover it, if you have homeowners or renters insurance, they will most likely cover the damage at close to replacement value.

Here is a checklist of some questions you should have answers to, before contacting Apple or your insurance company.

Before the fire, did the power adapter or cords show any signs of excessive wear, bubbling, bunching or fraying? Was the power adapter unusually hot? Note that Power Adapters can get pretty hot (up to 41 C) and still be running normally.

Was the power supply plugged into s surge protector or UPS at the time?

Have you checked your outlets to make sure that the polarity isn't reversed, that there isn't an open ground, open neutral or a short somewhere on the circuit it was plugged in to?

Have you attempted to boot the computer?

Before you do, I would suggest removing the battery and taking a multimeter to it to ensure it is functioning within proper limits. Then try to boot the MBP.

05-20-2009, 01:46 PM

To others who read this thread, something to take away:

The MagSafe port is magnetic. As such, it is possible for it to attract bits of metallic pieces and cause a short. If you are not already in the habit, it's highly recommended that you inspect both the port and the connector periodically for dirt and debris, wiping it away with a dry cloth.

I don't know that this caused this particular issue, but it's certainly possible.

05-20-2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by kenbrinkman

Tonight I went to bed around 12 as usual but I woke up around 1:30 smelling burning plastic. Turns out my MacBook Pro was on fire. Smoke was pouring out the seam between the unibody and bottom enclosure. I actually burned my hand pretty badly ripping the adapter out. Oh man. This is reallllly scary because what if I didn't wake up? It could of burned my house down.

I guess I'm going to the Apple Store first thing in the morning. I don't know what they'll do. What do you guys think??

The first thing they're going to do is determine if it was the fault of the electronics in your MBP or if it was something you did.

If it turns out something was defective with the machine causing the fire, Apple will certainly replace it. If it was a faulty circuit in your home which caused the fire, Apple will not repair or replace your MBP for free.

As far as making an insurance claim on your homeowner's insurance policy, unless your deductible is low or you have individual items scheduled, you may find that the machine is not covered.

Regards.

05-20-2009, 02:16 PM

So the story is that I was doing an initial backup over my network to a time capsule. It needed to copy over 100GB of data and, as the manual states, "you may need to plug your computer in and leave it on overnight to complete the first backup". And that's what I did. I woke up an hour and a half later with it burning. I'm sure it wouldn't be as bad if I caught it early, but I was asleep. There was smoke coming out of the keyboard, around the edges and out the ports on the left side. It wasn't a black smoke really, it seemed like a lighter, grayer smoke. The magsafe, though, was completely engulfed. There were green flames coming off of it. I had a folder underneath the computer too and that burned as well.

Another thing, I believe it's the computer not the magsafe. This laptop has broken two other power supplies, granted not to this extent. Yesterday, I just got the laptop back from the Apple Store again because the logic board and fan assembly needed to be replaced, I think due to the same issue. I was so happy to get it home only to find 6 hours later it was on fire.

I am a perfectionist when it comes to my Apple products. I always utilize safe operating procedures when it comes to the magsafe.

I just got back from the Apple Store today and they're replacing it, no charge. The head genius wasn't there though and I'm told I'll need to talk to him.

I'll keep you updated.

Thanks for all of your concern.

05-20-2009, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by chscag

As far as making an insurance claim on your homeowner's insurance policy, unless your deductible is low or you have individual items scheduled, you may find that the machine is not covered.

As I can't speak for all insurance policies because different people have different budgets - most I have seen, have an "Umbrella Policy" with different maximums for electronics and computers. For instance, any computer equipment up to $10,000 is covered. Heck, I was in a car accident and my MBP got smashed because it flew out of the bag, and I wasn't even close to home. My homeowners insurance covered it and then went after the auto insurance company of the ditz that hit me.

As far as deductibles go, I really doubt his deductible is more than the replacement cost of a 15" MBP. I know NJ insurance stinks a real ripe one, but most people have $1,000 or $1,500 not $2,400+.

Anyway, lets just hope Apple replaces is and if they don't I'd be one of the very, very many people calling and writing letters to air my disgust that they didn't replace it. If in fact it was defective. If his house wiring is reversed polarity with an open ground, then he should go after his electrician or his home inspector (if its a recent purchase). Honestly, if you already have romex in the house, a require to fix polarity and ground would be less than $1,200 and not just a good investment, but a darn good idea if he wants to not burn to death in the middle of the night.

Anyway, it's probably all moot, as this has happened before and there is already a Class Action suit about it. With enough pressure from the good old court of public opinion - he should be fine.

05-20-2009, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by kenbrinkman

it seemed like a lighter, grayer smoke.

That's incomplete combustion, usually from energized components overheating without the presence of enough heat or oxygen to completely ignite.

Originally Posted by kenbrinkman

The magsafe, though, was completely engulfed. There were green flames coming off of it.

That's either the copper burning or one of the methylethylbadstuff plastics. But usually, when copper overheats it gases copper sulfate - which will burn green.

05-20-2009, 02:36 PM

It's good to hear that you're ok and that you're getting a replacement.

05-20-2009, 07:55 PM

Glad to hear you're ok man.... Depending on how bad your electrical burn is, you may have grounds for a personal injury case.

05-21-2009, 05:39 AM

That is incredible