iPod Fires Linked to Property Damage, Burns and Injuries: Report

Seattle news station, KIRO-7 TV, reports that records from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicate that a number of users have reported Apple iPod fires and overheating, which could result in property damage, burns and other personal injury.

Approximately 800 pages of documents were recently released by the CPSC, more than seven months after a Freedom of Information Act request was filed requesting information about all reports involving iPod burns and fires. The documents detail numerous incidents where iPods began to smoke, burst into flames, overheat and in some cases caused injury for users.

The CPSC records reveal at least 15 cases of iPod overheating and fire-related incidents. Some of the cases involved iPods catching fire in the rooms of sleeping teenagers, sending parents rushing into their rooms after smoke alarms went off. In one case, an iPod caught fire onboard a ship with more than 2,000 people onboard.

To date, there have been no serious injuries reported. But some experts say it is only a matter of time.

According to KIRO-7 TV, lawyers for Apple filed repeated requests for exemptions to keep the documents from going public.

An Apple iPod lawsuit was filed in March in Cincinnati alleging that a 16GB iPod Touch exploded in the pocket of a 15-year-old boy while he was sitting at his desk at school. According to the complaint, the mp3 player burst into flames, burned his pants, melted his underwear and burned his leg, resulting in second-degree burns.

The iPod overheating problems are likely linked to the lithium ion batteries that power the devices. However, it is unlikely federal regulators will push for an iPod recall unless there is a dramatic increase in the number of fires reported. There are more than 175 million units on the market, and only a very small number of reports.