Welsh Family Survives XBox Inferno

[Nerv]

According to El Reg (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/23/xbox_blaze/), a Welsh woman had to be rescued by two bystanders, after the house XBox (not a 360) caught fire.

Stuart Ward and Robert Johnson ran from a pub in Llanfairpwll to find the unnamed victim's house engulfed in thick, black smoke...

..."We put some coats over our mouths and ran upstairs. Robert and I were swearing and the father was shouting 'My daughter's here!'. We were going on our hands and knees - that's how dark it was. You couldn't see your fingers if you put them in front of your eyes.Anglesey fire and rescue spokesman Dave Evans confirmed the fire was caused by a "fault in an Xbox game machine" left on standby.
I know that I for one didn't really buy into the "YOUR HOUSE WILL BURN AND YOU WILL DIE" hype about the recall when it was announced, so this is slightly scary.

[Varsity]

If there's an electrical fault, it can start a fire. That's nothing suprising. I wouldn't get too worked up over this.

[jwbxx]

Hopefully, the xbox survived.

[Citizen Philip]

I guess she can ship her house to MS and they'll do a same day return, fixed or perhaps refurbished?

[Wonka]

Mine has survived two large brownouts (caused by Thanksgiving = kitchen appliances) thus far. And is still cool to the touch and doesn't crash. This press has to be really very bad for MS though. I wouldn't want to be them right now. My neighbor who knows NOTHING about consoles came over and when he heard that I had one, his 1st question was about the rumour he had heard that there was something wrong with it.

[Kelegacy]

I never got the upgraded cable for my Xbox, and mine is an early version. I'd better increase my insurance!

Then again, it's my fault for being lazy.

[El Gato]

I suddenly feel the need to go home...


(who am i kidding - I always feel like that at work)

[Tronikx]

well.. cooking dope in your house does seem to cause your house to go up in flames from time to time.. i agree hopefully the xbox was ok...

[darkwarrior]

To be fair, this can happen to any appliance not just something with a potential fault. Plus did I read it right in that they weren't actually in the house?

If they left electrical equipment running without supervision then its their own fault.

[Nesta]

A couple of weeks ago my Xbox started turning on by itself. At first I thought it was either my daughter or maybe the cat, but then it did it right in front of me as I was walking through the living room. I've unplugged it since then (far too many PC games to play right now anyways), but I wonder if it has something to do with a faulty power supply? After reading this story, I'm glad I did decide to unplug it.

[Nefs]

It has been said that the face of Bill Gates appears in photographs of the fire, shrouded in the flames and smoke.

[Heretic Machine]

I don't leave shit running when I leave, besides my computer. Even then I'm a little weary, and won't leave it on if I'm going to be gone for longer than my normal class day.

[TheLengua]

I have a friend who's xbox caught fire, so it can't be as isolated an incident as it seems. He was playing a game when the system shut itself off. When he tried to turn it back on he heard sparks, and smoke started pouring out the vents.

[Serapth]

I never got the upgraded cable for my Xbox, and mine is an early version. I'd better increase my insurance!

Then again, it's my fault for being lazy.

Yeah, same boat, same issue. I never replaced mine either because im simply too lazy. To make matters worse, mine is a day1 launch model, so probrably even more prone to the issues :)

Funny thing is, with all this anti early adopter shit spreading around, my own history goes contrary.

My XBox360 seems to be find, bought day 1
My Xbox is fine, never and issue or read error. Bought day 1
My Dreamcast is fine, never an issue, bought day 1
My PS2 is fine, bought day one
My PSP is fine, except that one dead pixel, bought day 1
My Genesis is fine, except its been in a box for 6 years now
My SNES, Nor NES, Nor Atari ever had issues, and they were all bought on day one.


Either I have a giant horseshoe up my ass, or these rumours are mostly fear mongering.

Put it simple, people pay attention to product defects when a product is new. But once its been on the market a few years, people just dont pay attention anymore ( unless someones house burns down... ).

I say most of this early lunch stuff is bunk.

[Serapth]

I have a friend who's xbox caught fire, so it can't be as isolated an incident as it seems. He was playing a game when the system shut itself off. When he tried to turn it back on he heard sparks, and smoke started pouring out the vents.

Ive had two laptops and a palm pilot do that ( well, the palm pretty much just made a "POP" and stopped working ). Had nothing to do with the device and everything to do with the power connection to it ( aka, a current spike ). I still miss my Acer Ferrari :( Never a sexier laptop ever made.

[Borys]

My PC ran for about 2 years non-stop, 24/7 with odd reboot now and then.

I went on a 2-week vacation and left it running with nobody at home, crazy I know, but luckily nothing happened.

[Serapth]

My PC ran for about 2 years non-stop, 24/7 with odd reboot now and then.

I went on a 2-week vacation and left it running with nobody at home, crazy I know, but luckily nothing happened.

LOL... you worry about this kinda stuff? :) I have a domain server running at home thats been basically running for close to two years. Hell I normally dont much bother with turning off lights when I go away, let alone devices ( you dont wanna see my hydro bills ).

The odds of an electric device ( other then say a stove or hair dryer or block heater ) burning down your house are about the same as a satellite falling on it. And if either ever happens, thats why we have insurance. Im more concerned about my house bursting into flames when im in it, especially, sleeping.

[Thenetcase]

I'm unplugging mine.

[Thenetcase]

LOL... you worry about this kinda stuff? I have a domain server running at home thats been basically running for close to two years. Hell I normally dont much bother with turning off lights when I go away, let alone devices ( you dont wanna see my hydro bills ).



The odds of an electric device ( other then say a stove or hair dryer or block heater ) burning down your house are about the same as a satellite falling on it. And if either ever happens, thats why we have insurance. Im more concerned about my house bursting into flames when im in it, especially, sleeping.



There is a HUGE difference between your standard AC adapter for a device such as the xBox and a PC power cord and power supply. Any one who has ANY working knowledge of electronics can tell you that.

I'll break it down so simpletons can understand it.



A.) PC power cords only conduct electricity. With out being damaged from the outside there is no way they can catch on fire.

B.) PC power supplies all have electrically regulated failsafe parts to protect from any overheating and/or malfunction. When these parts "fry" the power supply shuts off long before it could get hot enough to burn. Granted not all power supplies had these until 2003 when the FCC made it mandatory.



C.) AC Adapters do not have all the fail safes that power supplies have because they are power converters as well. Therefore they have the risk of overheating and causing a fire before the power supply circuitry can shut down.





Does any of this make sense, or shall I dissect both parts and take photos so your wee brain can comprehend this?



-TNC-

[GreenIce]

I like how not being educated about electronics means he is an idiot. Unprovoked personal attacks really make me love this site.

[Serapth]

OOOOOoooooohhhhh... I love the personal attacks. I especially love being a "simpleton" and having my brain described as "wee".

I especially love this stuff when the person who says it is wrong!

You do realize, that the XBox is essentially a PC in a box? Ever seen inside one? They basically just took some of the functionallity from the PSU and move it external. End result is though, they are functionally identical. Translated... both have the same probrability of causing a fire. And comparing PC's built after 2003 under FCC regulations, to a machine built in 2001. Hmmm... thats fair. XBox is pretty much identical to a PC built in the same time frame.

See... a nice well mannered retort to your comments, without a single insult.

You dumbass!!!

Oops :D

[Kelegacy]

My PC ran for about 2 years non-stop, 24/7 with odd reboot now and then.

I went on a 2-week vacation and left it running with nobody at home, crazy I know, but luckily nothing happened.
Mine had been running for I don't know how long until early this morning when the power went out. It's a good thing my speakers popped when the outage occured, or else I never would have woken up for work on time.

[Selar]

I don't know why anyone would be concerned about the Xbox being damaged. Have you ever dropped one of those things? You're more likely to damage the floor.

[Kelegacy]

I don't know why anyone would be concerned about the Xbox being damaged. Have you ever dropped one of those things? You're more likely to damage the floor.

One night I woke up and thought an earthquake had occured, or a meteor had struck my building. Then I realized the Xbox had fallen off the entertainment center, through the floor and into the guy's bedroom in the apartment below me. It killed him.

His brother now roams the planet, wielding dual swords and a patchwork cape, seeking unholy vengeance on Xboxes and their obese ilk.

[Serapth]

One night I woke up and thought an earthquake had occured, or a meteor had struck my building. Then I realized the Xbox had fallen off the entertainment center, through the floor and into the guy's bedroom in the apartment below me. It killed him.

His brother now roams the planet, wielding dual swords and a patchwork cape, seeking unholy vengeance on Xboxes and their obese ilk.

Bet the box survived though, didnt it?

[Citizen Philip]

Bet the box survived though, didnt it?

You're dumb, and you have a small brain! Of course it survived.

[Serapth]

You're dumb, and you have a small brain! Of course it survived.

That is the friendliest and most thought provoking response I've read in weeks! Kudo's to you Citizen Philip! :D

[Thenetcase]

That is the friendliest and most thought provoking response I've read in weeks! Kudo's to you Citizen Philip! :D

Ahh it's nice to see someone who doesn't get offended over petty insults. ;)

Oh yes, and I'm the one to speak, aren't I?

My apologies for my lackluster post previoiusly, Seraph. =) I should have been less stoopid. Having the flu does weird things to your head.

-TNC-

[Serapth]

Ahh it's nice to see someone who doesn't get offended over petty insults. ;)

Oh yes, and I'm the one to speak, aren't I?

My apologies for my lackluster post previoiusly, Seraph. =) I should have been less stoopid. Having the flu does weird things to your head.

-TNC-
No worries, its pretty hard to offend me. Maybe if you slept with my Mom I might get offended. And, even in that case, it would only offend me if you did'nt tip well! :D



--- God I hope my mom never gets on the internet, the shit ive said about her.........

[Kelegacy]

No worries, its pretty hard to offend me. Maybe if you slept with my Mom I might get offended.


Umm...sorry about that, mate.

Let me know if she needs any Exlax. It might be a while before things return to normal for her...

[Serapth]

Umm...sorry about that, mate.

Let me know if she needs any Exlax. It might be a while before things return to normal for her...

Dude, man ewwwww.... Its one thing to make jokes about someones mother, its another to make that person verbally picture his Mom taking it from behind!

[mister_slim]

Dude, man ewwwww.... Its one thing to make jokes about someones mother, its another to make that person verbally picture his Mom taking it from behind!
Kelegacy just doesn't know when to be quiet. It's something to do with having a hooker for a father.

[Kelegacy]

Kelegacy just doesn't know when to be quiet. It's something to do with having a hooker for a father.

My father died in an accident when I was a kid. He died trying to protect my mother from an escaped zoo rhino. They both passed away and I was shipped off to live with my two mean aunts.

Thanks alot for bad mouthing my hero father, asshole.

[Thenetcase]

My father died in an accident when I was a kid. He died trying to protect my mother from an escaped zoo rhino. They both passed away and I was shipped off to live with my two mean aunts.

Thanks alot for bad mouthing my hero father, asshole.

I wonder if the Rhino needs exlax.

Seriously dude, can you prove that crap?