Home surveillance video caught the scary moments when a Dell laptop burst into flames in a living room with two teenagers just a few feet away.
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Dell laptop explosion: What you need to know
According to KNBC in Los Angeles, the four-year-old laptop was charging on a couch when it started to smoke and then caught fire, burning a hole in the sofa.
After the teens put the fire out the first time, flames shot out of the laptop three more times.
What’s so terrifying about this incident is that one of the teenagers was almost injured as the laptop burst into flames when he went to inspect it.
See the surveillance video in this report:
Dell said it’s planning to conduct a complete investigation of the incident once the owner sends them the destroyed laptop. The company released the following statement:
We were recently made aware of an incident that occurred involving a Dell laptop. Firstly, we are grateful there were no injuries during this incident. Dell places the highest priority on safety with millions of laptops being used around the world every day. We’ve coordinated with the owner of the laptop and await the product’s return. From there, we will conduct a complete investigation to validate its origin and understand its full history including whether all components such as the battery are manufacturer-approved.
Dell reminds customers that using an incompatible battery or a third-party battery may increase the risk of a fire. Always follow the safety advice in the manufacturer’s product manual.
An expert gave these tips to KNBC to prevent lithium-ion batteries from catching fire:
- Charge your device on a hard surface, which lets heat dissipate.
- Don’t charge devices on beds or couches.
- Don’t overcharge devices.
- Don’t leave your laptop plugged in and charging overnight or when you go to work.
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