MS recall thousands of power bricks after Xbox 360 burns a house down

Asmita PrasadApr 22 2008

Microsoft

An Xbox 360 fanatic got the shock of his life when his console’s power brick caught fire and burned his house down causing nearly $100,000 in damages. The Little Rock, Arkansas local was not at home when the fire started though fire fighters have pinpointed the hazardous console as having been the cause of the blaze. The gamer reports that the power brick was stored on one side and close to the wall, which as fire officials point out, could have aggravated the heat in the brick. The mishap has prompted Microsoft to recall thousands of power bricks from across the globe though the firm maintains that gamers can avoid fire hazards by unplugging the console when not in use and by avoiding bending the brick’s power cord. The incident puts a huge question mark on the safety credentials of the Xbox 360 since the firm has already admitted that their Wireless Racing Wheel suffers from a power-supply problem which could result in overheating. in 2005, smoke from an overheated first-gen Xbox resulted in a woman losing consciousness in Anglesey. The incidents are sure to dent the confidence of many Xbox loyalists though it will certainly be interesting to see what steps Microsoft will take to ensure the gamers’ safety. Watch a video of the news report covering the Little Rock blaze after the jump.

Source: Reg Hardware