Suits blame consoles for fires..

Victims of separate home fires are suing Microsoft and Sony in Illinois and New York, saying unsafe Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 sparked blazes.

Via Gamespot


A pair of lawsuits in Illinois and New York are seeking monetary damages from Microsoft and Sony, respectively, for the loss of life and property caused by a pair of fires allegedly sparked by game consoles.

A 2004 fire in Warsaw, Illinois, took the life of an infant, and his surviving relatives are suing Wal-Mart, Microsoft, and a power supply company for unspecified damages in excess of $50,000, according to an Information Week report. The suit was originally filed last December in Hancock County Circuit Court, but this week Wal-Mart filed to have the case moved to a district court.

The suit specifies an Xbox 360 as the source of the blaze, but given that the system didn't launch until November of 2005, it could be mistaking an original Xbox for its successor. In February of 2005, Microsoft recalled Xbox power cords, saying that a rare (1 in 10,000) component failure could cause a fire hazard. At the time, the company said it had dealt with 30 such instances, with seven resulting in minor burns to users' hands and the other 23 causing minor property damage.

"Microsoft recently learned about this tragic incident that occurred in December 2004," a spokesperson with the company said. "Our sympathy is with the family. However, we are not aware of any evidence that an Xbox caused the fire. Also, the complaint specifically states that an Xbox 360 was involved, but this version of the console was unavailable for purchase at that time."

The suit against Sony was brought by Allstate after the insurance company paid out $90,313 to a pair of policy holders for property damage and other expenses arising from an August 2005 fire. The suit claims the fire started as the result of a PlayStation 2 malfunction and alleges that Sony was negligent in designing, building, and testing the unit to ensure it was safe for its intended use.

Originally filed last month in New York's Supreme Court of Jefferson County, the suit was moved to New York District Court last week. Allstate is seeking a reimbursement of the payout plus the policyholders' deductible, with interest and legal fees.

Like Microsoft, Sony has also had power-supply problems with its console. Sony has recalled AC adaptors sold with certain models of its redesigned slim line of PlayStation 2 systems. The adaptors are prone to overheating and could become a fire hazard or cause electrical shocks. Sony representatives had not returned requests for comment as of press time, though it is typically the company's policy not to comment on pending litigation.