Reader's unibody MacBook Pro catches fire!

I got several of the Magsaver plastic snap-on's, after my first adaptor frayed out. I have it on every replacement (actually have 3 now), and it has totally resolved the issue for me.

Would highly recommend it for anybody who's using their Macbook constantly (hey, who isn't ?!)..

I had this happen last year but it wasn't on the connector, it melted the cord itself. Apple replaced it without any problems.

I just skimmed through the comments and am surprised that no one blames the fact that the computer was just opened up and serviced in a significant way. That would be my first thought - that this failure is due to that service job. That would also mean that the problem was in the computer not the magsafe connector.

Since watching CSI several times, I am now an expert investigator.

Look at the frayed cord in the picture with this article as it comes out of the connector. No wonder it caught fire.

My MacBook Pro is 18 months old and is in constant use. I wrap it the same way each time I use it. There is no sign of wear . . . just a permanent bend from being wrapped the same way each time.

If you continue to use a cord after the insulation is frayed and wires are visible and broken, it's your own danged fault if the blasted thing goes up in smoke.

I am a bit surprised at TUAW and the readers who are so sure "its a design defect"
I am pleased the user of the machine was unhurt, makes you realize whats really important.
What the comments generally miss is that we need a standard to judge wether the damage is caused by a flaw in design, user error, quality control error or some combination of these. Is this a common occurence??? (Magsafes catching fire). Considering that this design is about three years old, and the numbers that have been sold, I think its quality control error, some statistically small number of adapters leave the factory that should not.
Apples sales are in the tens of millions of these devices, even a failure rate of less than one percent would be thousands of machines. TUAW and its readers need to consider the scale of the issue, discuss what would consitute proof of a design defect, discuss best practices re this adapter, instead we get hype, overhype and baseless jumps from conclusions.

WOW!!! Not sure but I was a little worried when you stated and quote

"I had a folder underneath the computer
too and that burned as well."

Not sure what type of folder it was but I don't think this is safe practice.

Never-less this is just outstanding and yes I am worried now as I have a Unibody Macbook Pro setup as well. I will be keep one eye open while sleeping now in future.

Look at where the burn is. This is classic symptom of internal shorting near a stress point, from overflexing at the head.

Well, I've had an original MacBook now for three years. I flog the hell out of it, including connecting and disconnecting the power cord multiple times in a day. No cracks, no problems. And there have been several times when the MagSafe thingie has saved my machine from crashing onto the floor, so I love the darned thing.

It seems to me that the magnet picking up metallic debris might be the main cause of these failures, second perhaps to people tugging on the cord, although I can hardly imagine what that debris might consist of. Who lives with metal filings??

this make me lol about how apple store have many magsafe in inventory *just incase*

The MagSafe is safe. It's the people who wire them up to things they shouldn't be wired to, and end up fucking up their computers, then they wonder why. It's the people, not Apple.

Apple, tell these people to F off. Your products are fine. They're perfect.