Filed under: iPod Family, Odds and ends
iPod sets man's pants on fire
A Georgia man got a surprise recently when his iPod caught fire -- inside his pants pocket. Danny Williams was working at a kiosk at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when he says he noticed "flames coming up to his chest." It seems the year-old Nano he had in his pocket spontaneously combusted and the only thing that kept him from sustaining serious injury was a piece of paper in the same pocket that acted as a shield. Williams told Atlanta's WSB-TV, "If [the] TSA had come by and seen me smoking, they could have honestly thought I was a terrorist."
Williams says Apple has offered to replace the Nano, and his mom notes she's relieved it didn't happen while he was sleeping or driving because the outcome could have been "much worse." Not that it's a good idea to keep your Nano in a pants pocket while driving, and many people sleep without pants, but you get the idea.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ryan said 1:08PM on 10-05-2007
I smell a lawsuit...
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Lisa Hoover said 1:10PM on 10-05-2007
I had the same thought.
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Chris Barr said 1:11PM on 10-05-2007
This is probably the first time I've heard of paper preventing/resisting fire.
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Christina Warren said 1:17PM on 10-05-2007
Yeah I saw this on the news last night -- and it's wrong to laugh, but I'm sorry - a flaming Nano in your pocket is kind of humorous - you know, since he didn't get hurt.
Lawsuit? It's America - do we even need to ask "if" - let's just take bets on "when" and "how quickly Apple settles."
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NutMac said 1:38PM on 10-05-2007
"...Apple has offered to replace the Nano..." Aw come on Apple, you can offer him a lot more than a freaking replacement!
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Nate Orloff said 1:41PM on 10-05-2007
Maybe he's a Liar Liar
with his pants on fire.
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Christina Warren said 1:42PM on 10-05-2007
Yeah, a new Nano AND new pants would be a good start. Actually, the dude is kind of lucky he worked at the airport because those coveralls should be more durable than regular pants.
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JagerQ said 2:11PM on 10-05-2007
It was glossy paper. It's resistant to burning from the glossy side.
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harrywolf said 2:31PM on 10-05-2007
I doubt the veracity of this story.
A year old nano bursts into flames and a 'piece of paper' saved the day?
Maybe that piece of paper was the cheque from the zune people for helping with negative ipod publicity?
So, in the interest of fairness, I wish to tender this report from a Walmart in Atlanta, GA, taken from a Routers™ press clip:
A man was carrying a Zune™ in his pocket while picking up his weekly shopping when it suddenly exploded, killing 27 people and injuring 92 more.
The Zune™ was only a week old, but had been reported as glowing red when charging. All Zunes™ have been withdrawn from Walmart shelves as a mark of respect for the victims.
The Fire Chief said it could have been much worse, but for the new 'All-you-can-eat' Smorgasbord Sushi snack bar which had attracted crowds away from the usually packed Walmart.
The Zune™ owner was uninjured because he was protected by a large piece of paper he was carrying at the time. He was quoted as saying that 'This was a tragedy for both Rock, and Roll".
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willy the impeached said 3:18PM on 10-05-2007
People! Lawsuits? Come on! This is our magnificant leader's latest marketing scheme. "The Nano, now so hot your pants will burst into flames!"
Or more likely a new high end feature, "Well how much would you pay for a Nano? $249? And how about the opportunity to set your pants on fire? Say $650? well here is the new Flame On Nano, only $899.99!!Get em while they're hot!"
See you can warm up while still enjoying all that cool refreshing Kool-Aid you're drinking!
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Just Cause said 4:20PM on 10-05-2007
Works at an airport and wearss coveralls? I'm picturing a bag handler or mechanic... How many times in a year do you think the iPod nano got whacked hard, front, back and all over. I smell damaged goods.
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David said 5:17PM on 10-05-2007
Guys,
It doesn't say he was wearing coveralls. It says he worked at a kiosk in the airport. Which means he wasn't doing the heavy labor typically associated with an airport job. It's probably a merchandise booth in the terminal.
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Christina Warren said 6:14PM on 10-05-2007
The thing I saw last night made it look like he was one of the guys that drags planes or whatever -- a friend of mine used to do that (at the same airport, natch) and he had to wear coveralls - but if he was wearing regular pants, my bad. Either way - it totally makes sense that the paper saved him from being scalded - because the battery exploded - the thing didn't spontaneously combust - it started smoking and burning -- it wasn't like a huge fire. Think laptop battery, because it's the same thing. They showed the dude's Nano on the news last night and it looked like it had been stuck in the microwave or something. I seriously doubt he's making it up, because it sounds like a bit of an elaborate scheme to get a new $150 device.
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Christina Warren said 6:15PM on 10-05-2007
The thing I saw last night made it look like he was one of the guys that drags planes or whatever -- a friend of mine used to do that (at the same airport, natch) and he had to wear coveralls - but if he was wearing regular pants, my bad. Either way - it totally makes sense that the paper saved him from being scalded - because the battery exploded - the thing didn't spontaneously combust - it started smoking and burning -- it wasn't like a huge fire. Think laptop battery, because it's the same thing. They showed the dude's Nano on the news last night and it looked like it had been stuck in the microwave or something. I seriously doubt he's making it up, because it sounds like a bit of an elaborate scheme to get a new $150 device.
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Lastof said 6:27PM on 10-05-2007
From the video posted over at engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/05/ipod-nana-spews-chest-high-flames-from-trousers-lawsuit-at/) it looks like the guy was very lucky. The "chest high" flames barely even singed his pocket. That's good workmanship on his trousers to repel such a ferocious explosion as he seems to describe...
Or, he could just be exaggerating. It doesn't even sounds like he wanted more than the replacement, his MOM was the one that called the news.
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Eideard said 8:14PM on 10-05-2007
Sounds way bogus to me. Which is why I haven't blogged it. And it's certainly not a slow news day - even for opportunists.
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Christina Warren said 9:06PM on 10-05-2007
No, I agree his mom was totally looking for $$ - she seemed shady and was annoying with her "we could have been sleeping!" crap -- like, I listen to my iPod before going to sleep - but I use the sleep timer. And if it is in your pocket - WORKING - while you are driving a vehicle - you have bigger issues. Like...plug it into the stereo or turn it off - do NOT listen to earphones while driving - the traffic is bad enough and the drivers are dumb enough in Atlanta as it is, we don't need any help. Still, I do believe that the thing exploded. Chest high flames? Um, no. Smoking, burning, nasty smelling lithium explosion? Absolutely.
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lll said 2:35AM on 10-06-2007
fire fire help the ipods are attacking god no
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Frank Voon said 11:15PM on 10-07-2007
Man, this is not funny at all, but the comments you guys wrote are so funny that i laughed so hard at a usually quiet Starbucks! hahaha....
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Justin said 3:03PM on 10-08-2007
I hope he bought AppleCare with that iPod...lol!!!
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