A 12-year-old boy was yesterday treated in hospital for second-degree burns after his Sony PlayStation Portable apparently spontaneously combusted in his trouser pocket.
Young Harold Clay was at school - Warner Middle in Farmington Hills, Michigan - when the incident took place. At 9am yesterday morning, the strides-stowed …
Do we happen to know if the kid happened to try out the hardware pandora hack which involves taking a stanley knife to the battery? Same thing happened to me when i tried that...
I wonder if the battery was an official Sony battery or some chinese knock-off, as is usually the case in instances such as this. If it is some cheap battery, the family will likely have no luck with Sony, whom the article reports they will be contacting, because it's not up to them what other brands do.
It's obvious (to me at least, the Anonymous Coward that I am) ... Sweat is salty, highly conductive water.... the kid was hiding the PSP in his pocket ... sweat got into the battery contacts (yes, 12-yr-olds do start to sweat like an adult, it's all part of the puberty thing), short circuit in the shorts, and that's all she wrote!
So that's who Dell sold all of those returned batteries to
#
Now we will not be able to take PSP's on airplanes either. Good thing the kid was playing games at school, it might have burnt his house down if it were left at home.
If he was using a cheap battery his penny-pinching has come back to haunt him. If he was trying to use a Pandora battery for normal use purposes he was being stupid. If he was just unlucky Murphy's Law has that much more proof. If his mum starts a campaign to ban PSPs or the FAA decides they're now too dangerous to take on planes, I think I'm going to weep for humanity (again).
How can you people be so insensitive? The boy, Harold Clay, was burned rather badly. In fact, it will be cheaper for lawyers to change his name to Carol Clay than it will for doctors to repair his burned bits.
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Boy burned in PSP trouser blaze
A 12-year-old boy was yesterday treated in hospital for second-degree burns after his Sony PlayStation Portable apparently spontaneously combusted in his trouser pocket. Young Harold Clay was at school - Warner Middle in Farmington Hills, Michigan - when the incident took place. At 9am yesterday morning, the strides-stowed …
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Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
GrahamT
Why does the song... #
..."Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" keep going around my head?
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Hardware pandora? #
Do we happen to know if the kid happened to try out the hardware pandora hack which involves taking a stanley knife to the battery? Same thing happened to me when i tried that...
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
Ben Schofield
We've been here before #
Wasn't it Sony batteries that were in the grenading Dell laptops? Never had a problem with my Panasonic powered XPS :)
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
tranquil
gosh #
"The youngster was taken to hospital for treatment but was able to return to school later that day."
I'm not convinced I'd make it back to work the same day if my trousers went up in flames. Maybe I'm a wimp.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
Highlander
Dare we say... #
The PSP is HOT!
PSP declared hottest system!
Burnout Legends, be careful kids, it'll burn a hole in your pocket!
Penny burns hole in pocket, PSP dies in blaze?
etc....
All in bad taste I am sure, but this is a godsend to corny headline writers.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
Fogcat
A Market Opportunity #
Could this be a prototype test? I know a few teachers how would love a gadget that could ignite batteries in mobile phones, PSPs etc.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 15:37 GMT
George Johnson
Yep #
Judging by the photo, that's the battery compartment. Looks like either a dodgy cheap imported battery or badly wired Pandora battery gone wrong.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:08 GMT
Dave
Knock off battery? #
I wonder if the battery was an official Sony battery or some chinese knock-off, as is usually the case in instances such as this. If it is some cheap battery, the family will likely have no luck with Sony, whom the article reports they will be contacting, because it's not up to them what other brands do.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:08 GMT
Fiona
He went back to school? #
I'd expect at least the rest of the day off if I'd been in hospital being treated for burns. Hey, I'd be angling for the rest of the week off!
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:08 GMT
Guy
Type #
I found it hard to tell from the photo - was it the slim & lite or the older kind of psp?
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:47 GMT
Mark
Boy heard to say #
"Eff eff eff eff eff ef"
Scorchio!
Yup, the firesale coat for me...
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:47 GMT
matt
Re: Type #
ohh dear...
The coats for you...
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:47 GMT
Philip Bune
PSP at School #
Why did the little ### have a PSP at school in the first place.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 16:47 GMT
Murray-Mint
Fat and Heavy #
Definitely a PSP Fat and Heavy. Wouldn't be surprised if it was a cheap imported battery or a hardware modded Pandora battery.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 17:38 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Sweat = SHORT(s) CIRCUIT #
It's obvious (to me at least, the Anonymous Coward that I am) ... Sweat is salty, highly conductive water.... the kid was hiding the PSP in his pocket ... sweat got into the battery contacts (yes, 12-yr-olds do start to sweat like an adult, it's all part of the puberty thing), short circuit in the shorts, and that's all she wrote!
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 18:42 GMT
JeffyPooh
Is that a PSP in your pocket, ... #
... or are you just happy to see me?
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 18:42 GMT
Ryan
Liar Liar #
PANTS ON FIRE
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 18:42 GMT
Red Bren
@Murray Mint #
I've got a "Fat & Heavy" PSP with its original battery which does get very warm during use. Is this a symptom of old age? The battery's, not mine!
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 18:44 GMT
ratfox
The lizard alliance strikes again! #
If it was needed to show that Sony is on their side...
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 18:44 GMT
Tim
Liar Liar #
Sure blame the PSP, my guess is he told his teacher that his dog ate his homework prior to his pants being on fire....
Mines the Armani ....honest....
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 21:09 GMT
Jove
A schoolboys Trouser Pockets #
... reminds me of a sketch from the Clithero Kid.
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 22:49 GMT
kain preacher
terrorist plot #
It's how AL queda plans to get the kids
Posted Thursday 7th February 2008 22:49 GMT
Anonymous Coward
So that's who Dell sold all of those returned batteries to #
Now we will not be able to take PSP's on airplanes either. Good thing the kid was playing games at school, it might have burnt his house down if it were left at home.
Posted Friday 8th February 2008 01:32 GMT
Jean Stone
Just great #
If he was using a cheap battery his penny-pinching has come back to haunt him. If he was trying to use a Pandora battery for normal use purposes he was being stupid. If he was just unlucky Murphy's Law has that much more proof. If his mum starts a campaign to ban PSPs or the FAA decides they're now too dangerous to take on planes, I think I'm going to weep for humanity (again).
Posted Friday 8th February 2008 01:32 GMT
Tris Orendorff
Serious Burns. #
How can you people be so insensitive? The boy, Harold Clay, was burned rather badly. In fact, it will be cheaper for lawyers to change his name to Carol Clay than it will for doctors to repair his burned bits.
Posted Friday 8th February 2008 10:55 GMT
Sam
It was a real Sony Battery...Not a 3rd party #
Turns out the battery was the real-deal and not a knock-off. Another mistake by Sony....
Posted Friday 8th February 2008 10:55 GMT
Stuart
Pandora #
Anyone still hardwiring a Pandora battery deserves to catch fire.
It's all about the software baby.
That is my coat....the one full of warez and psp apps.
Posted Saturday 9th February 2008 00:35 GMT
lardheppus
Hindenburg #
Will the next game for the PSP be a Hindenburg flight simulator?
Posted Monday 11th February 2008 06:33 GMT
Anonymous Coward
The boy stood on the burning deck... #
His pockets full of crackers.
A spark went up his trouser leg.
A blew off both his kn.....
Mines the flame-proof over jacket with the deep pockets.
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