Mac laptop fire in Japan

Authorities in Japan have reported a Mac laptop fire involving the defective Sony batteries and have asked Apple to investigate. The Associated Press reports that a Mac laptop overheated and caught fire in April, which caused minor burns to the user after the computer caught fire. According to the report, Apple has received nine reports in the United States of the Sony-built lithium-ion batteries battery packs overheating, including two consumers who received minor burns after handling overheated computers. In addition, the report says that Apple has also received reports of minor property damage (but no serious injuries). Following similar demands to both Dell and Sony, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ordered Apple Japan to report on its findings and measures to prevent future troubles by Sept. 5 or it could face a fine of up to 300,000 yen ($2,570) under Japan's consumer safety laws. Apple, however, declined detail the extent of the recall in Japan: in the US, Apple recalled nearly 1.1 million batteries and another 700,000 worldwide.

by MacNN Staff