Laptop battery explodes and burns owner

When you think of an explosion, a computer is usually not the first thing that comes to mind. But one woman in Pennsylvania had a big scare when her laptop battery blew up while she was using it.

KYW-TV says, "It flipped my computer back and everything -- like the battery pack and all -- came out this way."

Fox News reports, "My shirt caught on fire. So I [quickly] got my shirt off and that's when I think I singed my hair and probably my face and all..."

Well Loretta Luff then used that shirt -- and water from a dogs bowl-- to put out the fire.

The pieces reportedly flew about 6-feet across the room. 72-year-old Loretta Luff was treated for burns on her face, foot and arms, but she says it could've been a lot worse.

WCAU says, "She's glad she was home when it happened because if she wasn't, her house may have burned down."

"I took my shirt, smothered that out. Then all these little fires started popping up," she said

"I've been a volunteer firefighter for almost 25 years now and fire chief. I'm in my fourteenth. I've never seen anything like an exploding laptop before," Chief Frank Farry said.

It was Luff's first laptop and she's had it for six years. However, she replaced her battery three years ago and wasn't sure if the new part was from Dell.

According to WPVI, Dell issued a statement.

"Dell will take appropriate steps to investigate this incident. Dell tells customers that 'using an incompatible battery or a third-party battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion and that they should replace the battery only with a battery purchased from Dell.'"

Luff says that if she ever gets another laptop, she's not taking any chances and will take the battery out at night.

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