AfterDawn: News

iPod explodes in high school classroom

A student at Pentucket Regional High School in Massachusetts saw their iPod Touch spontaneously explode while it was sitting on her desk during class this week, and fire officials were forced to come and clear out the room.

West Newbury fire Chief Scott Berkenbush says: "Some chemicals had come out, so we checked and made sure it was OK and cleared the scene. No one was transported. The teenager was checked out by (American Medical Response technicians) and not transported."



This is at least the third documented case for iPods simply exploding, but so far Apple has not claimed any liability. Furthermore, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has implied that lithium batteries may be more to blame than the Apple hardware.

Adding as a joke, Berkenbush said: "iPod is the new Toyota. I think the problem is with the battery itself. If any moisture gets on it or it falls in a puddle, it can spark."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 26 Feb 2010 19:47

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• 16 comments

• hikaricor

  The way they used the word transported is a little strange.

  26.2.2010 19:59 #1

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by hikaricor: The way they used the word transported is a little strange.
  LOL, it is.
  I guess no one got injured,hence no one was "transported" to a ER/clinic or something for further check-up.

  26.2.2010 20:09 #2

• jony218

  So is it in the instruction book, that if the Ipod explodes the company is not liable?
  
  Maybe they need to put a big red sticker in box that says "caution Ipod might explode". I usually don't buy things that might "detonate" especially if it's something that I might keep in my pant's pocket.

  26.2.2010 20:55 #3

• autopc

  Wow.Ipod is a good option 4 my enemies' black list.

  26.2.2010 21:20 #4

• DSWarrior

  I do believe the batteries are to blame...it wouldn't be the first time Apple had problems with batteries on their devices. I've had an iPod Video since 2005 and last October I bought an iPod TOuch 3rd Gen and I pray that they won't spark and blow up to pieces in my pocket...lol!

  26.2.2010 22:42 #5

• ktodack

  Hello-- Another case of an incident completely exaggerated and misleading. It took me all of five minutes to search and find out what really happened which is entirely different then what the article above would have you believe.
  
  The letter the principal sent home with the students in the classroom.
  
  Dear Parent/Guardian,
  
  I am writing to inform you of an incident that occurred during your child's period 3 science class today. Several students took apart an I-pod music device and as a result the battery malfunctioned and gave off a plume of smoke. The teacher ventilated the room and shortly thereafter students were moved to another location. The students closest to the area and those who had touched the device were seen by the nurse.
  
  We contacted the public safety office in West Newbury who sent a crew from the fire department to assess the situation. The crew inspected the room, the device and the students most directly involved. They concluded that there appeared to be no injuries and that there was no danger to others in the building. The room was cleaned and students resumed their normal activities.
  
  If you have any questions, please contact me at the high school office.
  
  Thank you.
  Jonathon P. Seymour
  Principal
  
  According to one of the students as related to his dad after the school was out on the day of the incident:
  A couple of kids took apart a broken IPod and were poking around in the IPod guts when they were able to get it to heat up and smoke.
  Notice the principal said--"there was a plume of smoke"-- NOT A SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION. The fire house was only called as an extreme precaution because there was some smoke in the room.
  
  The people reporting on this incident seem to want to attack a company's product rather then give a complete and accurate description of the event-- which in reality would not be a news item at all-- just a couple of kids in science class seeing if they could start combustion with an IPod battery.

  27.2.2010 14:49 #6

• peluynati

  kids will be kids!!

  27.2.2010 14:58 #7

• DXR88

  Originally posted by ktodack: Hello-- Another case of an incident completely exaggerated and misleading. It took me all of five minutes to search and find out what really happened which is entirely different then what the article above would have you believe.
  
  The letter the principal sent home with the students in the classroom.
  
  Dear Parent/Guardian,
  
  I am writing to inform you of an incident that occurred during your child's period 3 science class today. Several students took apart an I-pod music device and as a result the battery malfunctioned and gave off a plume of smoke. The teacher ventilated the room and shortly thereafter students were moved to another location. The students closest to the area and those who had touched the device were seen by the nurse.
  
  We contacted the public safety office in West Newbury who sent a crew from the fire department to assess the situation. The crew inspected the room, the device and the students most directly involved. They concluded that there appeared to be no injuries and that there was no danger to others in the building. The room was cleaned and students resumed their normal activities.
  
  If you have any questions, please contact me at the high school office.
  
  Thank you.
  Jonathon P. Seymour
  Principal
  
  According to one of the students as related to his dad after the school was out on the day of the incident:
  A couple of kids took apart a broken IPod and were poking around in the IPod guts when they were able to get it to heat up and smoke.
  Notice the principal said--"there was a plume of smoke"-- NOT A SPONTANEOUS EXPLOSION. The fire house was only called as an extreme precaution because there was some smoke in the room.
  
  The people reporting on this incident seem to want to attack a company's product rather then give a complete and accurate description of the event-- which in reality would not be a news item at all-- just a couple of kids in science class seeing if they could start combustion with an IPod battery.i think your full of poo.

  27.2.2010 15:00 #8

• cyprusrom

  Originally posted by DXR88: Originally posted by ktodack: ...I'm a crApple funboy, love sepcially the ... IPod battery.i think your full of poo.Ken Todack, aka ktodack, posting same alleged letter everywhere:
  
  http://www.cultofmac.com/ipod-explodes-in-classroom/31755
  

  
  Piss me off, and I Will ignore You!

  27.2.2010 15:19 #9

• ktodack

  The reason I originally posted a response to the exploding IPods was that I was skeptical about IPods "exploding". I went back to the original story that this article was based on to see if I could find out more details. Check out the details for yourself-- the original news article and the response from the father who had a son in the classroom when the incident took place and the letter from the principal. The link:
  
  http://www.newburyportnews.com/punews/local_story_056225627.html
  
  Yes the response of the father is anonymous, I don't think he wants to get all kind of letters and e-mails, but it does sound honest, and to beleive he would make up a letter to the parents thats signed by the principal-- you would truly have to be delusional.

  27.2.2010 15:40 #10

• cyprusrom

  Is not delusional at all...if the article were not to be portraying an accurate picture of the events, I'd think someone would try to set the things straight vis official channels. A guy posting anonymously(for fear of what??!!)...All I can see is just someone trying to do some "damage control"...Kinda strange for anyone to call the fire department for just a "plum" of fume..that's what they do in the science classes, make fumes and little sparkles. If something spontaneously explodes, that's however a greater matter of concern.
  Until I see an official response to this story, I'd say someone is full of dung...

  27.2.2010 16:01 #11

• xnonsuchx

  Originally posted by jony218: Maybe they need to put a big red sticker in box that says "caution Ipod might explode". I usually don't buy things that might "detonate" especially if it's something that I might keep in my pant's pocket.Then they may as well add a "Caution: May Explode" sticker to ALL electronic devices! You would statistically get bitten by pigs several times before something like this happened to you.

  27.2.2010 18:52 #12

• NINVIN21

  You got a better chance of getting hit by lightning.
  I wish one would blow up in my pocket I would never have to work again.

  28.2.2010 12:27 #13

• chrialex

  It has been shown in various devices that some types of batteries will overheat/explode if damaged. However, there are safer types of batteries available. So if a device is damaged, and it explodes, I say the manufacturer *is* liable, since they used an unsafe technology in their product when there was a more efficient and safer alternative.

  4.3.2010 09:49 #14

• Mez

  And I thought ipods were not powerful! Boy was I wrong!

  4.3.2010 13:04 #15

• adamryan

  Freaking Apple. Always the leader in innovative products. Microsoft would have never had the keen insight to develop an exploding mp3 player. Once again, Apple reigns king.

  4.3.2010 21:55 #16