Dell Inspiron 1200 Blamed for Burning the House

A fire that destroyed a single-family home in Biddeford, Me. last week has been blamed on a Dell laptop that was plugged in and re-charging while sitting on a living room couch, ComputerWorld reports.

Christopher Stanford, a state fire marshal investigator, said the house fire at 117 Granite Street in Biddeford last Monday began about 8:30 a.m. after the owners used the computer, then left it plugged in to charge while they went to work. The Dell Inspiron 1200 apparently “had something happen with the cord or the power unit on the cord,” Stanford said, because the damage was most severe where the laptop and cord were located in the house.

A total loss with damage is estimated at more than $100,000, Stanford said.

The laptop was reportedly not among the computers recalled last year for battery problems that could cause overheating and fire.

ComputerWorld

Dell takes all safety related customer issues seriously. We have spoken to the customer and are working with authorities investigating the situation.