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Novelty lighters


Tinker

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Novelty lighter with torch

Pls note the above is to only show a similar product, from a different brand name.

So i came home from work as usual, emptied my pockets on my desk, powered my PC`s and monitors on, went off to get me a coffee. Less than 2 minutes later the fire alarm went off. Walked to the stairs, saw black smoke. Ran upstairs to find 2 of my monitors, keyboard, and alsorts of things engulfed in huge flames. Room was thick with black smoke. Nothing I could do, the flames where too strong. Quickly dived at all plug sockets and switched all off. Ran to the bathroom and soaked 2 towels, went back and managed to beat the flames down. Smaller objects like mouse, keyboard, microphones that where still burning, went out of the window. Shelf above containing most of my paperwork was on fire, dragged it all onto the carpet and stamped it out.

Fire was out.

Damaged items:

2 x 24" monitors

1 keyboard

1mouse

1 microphone

2 thumbsticks

1 headset

1 external hard drive

1 PC case

1 set of curtains

1carpet

1 shelf

2 walls and 1 ceiling need painting

Various unrecognizable items and lot of paperwork gone

Left hand and arm burnt from melting plastic

Blisters all over

Apart from 1 case being damaged, I think the PC` are ok as they where below the desk. But will not know until I get new monitors in tomorrow. (On my trusty laptop right now.)

Piccy of 2 monitors in alley

Examining the monitors, fire seems to of started from the center of the 2 of them and worked up. The lighter, plus cigarettes and car keys where the only thing in that area.

The lighter was a Xmas present from someone. A cheap item that I have never used up until today.

Looking for a feasable explanation, few have come up so far:

1. Lighter was leaking gas, gas fumes ingited by 1 of the monitors heat or spark.

2. Electric pulses in the dvmi cable sent the lighter a false positive and ignited it, possible leakage would cause it to explode.

3: Torch switch had turned on while putting in pocket, after being switched on for nearly an hour and placed on a surface, metal parts heated from bulb, causing plastic to melt.

4: 1 of the monitors had a fault.

Adreneline was high. Few hours later I am feeling numb. Another 1 or 2 minutes, I fear we could of lost the house.

Have a sore arm now, work is ok with me staying home for tomorrow, or longer if needed to fix things up. Wish I took a shot of the room damaged before I cleaned it, was just in auto mode, cleaning, probably in shock, but did not realize.

I would just like to add:

Fire alarms saves lives.

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OMG mate that is AWFUL. I hope your arm is okay, and you have not suffered any data loss, and I hope your insurance is good for the damage. If not let me know, we'll start a fund!

Like you say, it could have been so much worse.

:(

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I'm sorry to hear that Tinker.

If it wasn't for your fire alarm things could have been much worse, I think you should take a few days of work as it will take time for you to get over the shock.

Hope your burns aren't to bad and you soon recover.

I've never had that experience so I can't imagine what you went through.

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Holy crap mate!

I do that so often!! Switch on my comp and get a coffee while it starts up! :blink: Luckily the kitchen is close to the room where I have my equipment, but still...! How quick something like that can happen...OMG... :huh:

Hope your burns will heal soon. Although it's a real bummer, material things can be replaced! Hope you are doing okay after this super adrenaline rush!

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Glad your ok... and your house is ok. Sucks the PC accessories all pretty much were damaged.

Interesting... from the LCD pics, it didn't crawl up the base of any of them. I would think the #1 is the answer. Possible butane from the torch hits monitor and sparks to cause flame. Could have been any LCD component inside to ignite it.

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Problem with #1 is the fact that Butane is heavier than air, it could not of leaked and got up into contact with anything inside a monitor. It would just leak and flow off the table onto the floor, likely getting dispersed to such an extent that it no longer would be at combustible concentrations. And I doubt #3 aswell, no single LED bulb should be able to put out enough heat to melt plastic.

For a leak from the lighter to of ignited there would of needed to be something on the desk and fairly close to it that caused a spark.

Besides, an exploding lighter is LOUD. If you heared the fire alarm then I'd hazard a guess you would of heared the lighter explode.

I'd more be leaning towards a short inside one of the monitors or other gear causing it

Glad it turned out "alright" in the end, a few computer parts can be replaced while a whole house

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