Thinkpad Goes Up In Flames In Airport

[Veedems Veteran]

So we're waiting for a flight in the United lounge at LAX, the flight next to ours was heading to London and in the middle of final boarding, when suddenly this guy comes running the wrong way up the jetway, pushing other boarding passengers out of the way, he quickly drops his laptop on the floor and the thing immediately flares up like a giant firework for about 15 seconds, then catches fire. About a hundred other people in the lounge jumped up and began a mix of gawking and general panic, I clearly heard a few fleeing individuals saying something about terrorists. The fire burned for a minute while everybody just stared at it, then another flare up, this one much larger than the first, drove a larger group of gawkers away. Eventually, the high intensity flaring calmed down and a larger fire kicked in, all the while letting off a thick cloud of white smoke that was slowly filling the terminal. Finally, an employee came over with a fire extinguisher and put it out of its misery.

I spoke to the laptop owner (while getting close for some pictures!) and he said he his laptop was an IBM, that he had checked the battery against the recalls on the net and his battery wasn't a recall. I don?t remember seeing any IBM laptops nuke themselves yet on GizModo, just Macbooks and Dells with Sony batteries, but it was a close call nonetheless, if that thing had fired off while that plane was in the air, who knows what would have happened.

Also, we got to overhear some of the not-so-computer-literate people on our flight talking about how laptop batteries can explode if you "get too many viruses on your computer." Christ.

Source w/images

Edited September 17, 2006 by bangbang023

[StevenNT]

where's the linK? :blink:

[WelshBluebird]

Kinda lucky this wasn't on the plane.

I wondering if lardiop still thinks laptops going up in flames is noithing to worry about now :laugh: (kinda a running joke from the podcasts for those who don't know).

[Azusa]

link no work

[TogaForComfort]

Link is reading as:

http://forums.<< filtered for offensive content >>/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2069019

[Allan]

Linky 1

Linky 2

[simsie]

wow, is it just me or is the number of laptop fires on the rise

[Tech Star]

As another source I read on it is not Sony's fault. There was to many virus's on the computer that caused it.

Source: Engadget

[Shadrack]

A virus shouldn't be able to produce a hardware failure that results in a fire. That is just nutty.

[strekship]

Viruses don't cause laptops to burst into flames.

[Cyber Dog]

As another source I read on it is not Sony's fault. There was to many virus's on the computer that caused it.

Source: Engadget

Your name is "Tech Star", please tell me you meant that as a joke and I missed it...

[garbagestrike]

A virus shouldn't be able to produce a hardware failure that results in a fire. That is just nutty.

LOL :laugh:

[osirisX]

Also, we got to overhear some of the not-so-computer-literate people on our flight talking about how laptop batteries can explode if you "get too many viruses on your computer."

LOL :p

[Tai]

looks like removing the battery from laptops should be the case now for plane boarding .... wouldnt want to be sitting underneath the onboard luggage when one of these goes off and starts a fire ...

[Ambience]

fleeing individuals saying something about terrorists

This actually stood out for me - has the media already scared people to such an extent?

[MGS4-SS]

This actually stood out for me - has the media already scared people to such an extent?

Haven't you noticed?

Now I'm waiting for the new rule in airports: Laptop without batteries (or no laptops at all).

[Windam]

Haven't you noticed?

Now I'm waiting for the new rule in airports: Laptop without batteries (or no laptops at all).

if that's the case boycott the f****** airport.

[Cyber Dog]

Haven't you noticed?

Now I'm waiting for the new rule in airports: Laptop without batteries (or no laptops at all).

Actually some airports have already started this. Delta in Australia I believe was one.

[kombolcha]

ya.. see what happens when you leave a thinpad on your lap for a few mins.. it'll burn your balls off.

[webeagle12]

As another source I read on it is not Sony's fault. There was to many virus's on the computer that caused it.

Source: Engadget

umm if u serious, turn off your computer and stay away from it

[Shof]

i am glad it is NO LONGER a dell lighting up in flames

[GEIST]

I bet 10 bucks this is going into the next NeowinCast. =P

[Tech Star]

Here is the link for those that dont belive me:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/16/thinkpa...tes-bomb-scare/

nd why would it be? IBM and Lenovo aren't flagged for bad batteries -- yet. (Sony, we're looking your direction.) But the coup de gr?ce at LAX: onlookers apparently mumbling that "too many viruses on your computer" can lead to this horrendous fate. How true, indeed.

[Randolph]

Here is the link for those that dont belive me:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/16/thinkpa...tes-bomb-scare/

They were being sarcastic!!!!!!

:rolleyes:

[dagamer34]

Software controls hardware. OF COURSE software can cause a fire. Though, the OS is supposed to protect your PC from those kinds of things, it could happen.