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Nov 5, 2009 12:25 pm US/Central
Fires Involving iPods Spark Concerns For Users
BETHESDA, Md. (CBS) ―
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With more than 200 million sold, chances are you or someone you know has an iPod. But the Apple product isn't perfect.
AP
With more than 200 million sold, chances are you or someone you know has an iPod. But the Apple product isn't perfect.
Ask almost anyone about their iPod, and they'll tell you exactly how much they love it and how often they use it.
Some say they can't live without it, but Andrea Koslow has a different opinion.
"Snap, crackle, pop, it caught fire," said Koslow.
The advertising executive says flames shot out of both sides of her older generation iPod nano while it was charging, reports CBS station WJZ-TV in Baltimore.
"I unplugged it and ran out of my house and put it on the grill," said Koslow. "I didn't know where else to put it. I wasn't expecting it. I thought my whole house was gonna catch on fire."
Of course, the vast majority of iPod users will never have problems with their device, but still there is a federal investigation underway by the Consumer Product Safety Commission located in Bethesda. They're tracking complaints from all across the country.
"I picked it up. It was really hot," said Haley Mooney.
Mooney, an Oregon teen, burned her hands. A Washington woman was scarred after clipping her iPod to her collar.
"My skin started, started burning really bad," said Jamie Valderas.
An 800-page federal investigation reveals more than a dozen similar incidents, but so far the CPSC finds "no pattern of defect can be shown."
Apple says, "Safety is [its] highest priority. The number of confirmed incidents of batteries overheating is less than .0001 percent of all iPods sold."
There isn't a recall on the iPod, but there are some thing you can do to prevent this. Keep your iPod clean because dust and hair can be combustible. Babysit your iPod while charging, and don't let it charge longer than needed. Of course, unplug it at the first sign of overheating.
"Don't leave the house when it's charging," said Koslow. "I mean it's a good product, just don't leave it unattended."
A spokesman for Apple also says that if your iPod does catch fire, the company wants to know about it, and you should bring it to an Apple store.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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