BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Nov 04 - 02:33 AM

The houses here in Guam are built of concrete. Actually most of them look like bunkers. What would be a disasterous storm for Florida is a minor annoyance here, and we get a lot more of them.

The long and the short of it is that the building contained the fire damage to the room where the fire happened but the smoke and soot filled the house.

This thread was the beginning of my "research" into other fires caused by monitors. Since all the hub bub has calmed down I have quit pursuing it though I do have an experiment planned to recreate the incident.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Caroline Edwards
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 05:36 PM

Our house was completely destroyed by a Viewsonic 21" monitor. The remains from the room above it fell through the floor when the 2nd story collapsed. Don't know how extensive your damage was....if it was possible for it to come from the room above.

I've been doing internet research and have come across many people who's monitors started to emit smoke/fire, but almost all of them were lucky enough to have been nearby to prevent catastropic damage.

Have you researched to see if others have had similiar problems? Don't most monitors also have vents in the back/sides of them?

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Nov 04 - 05:12 AM

Cheaper too... for them. Accident solved, no more money needed. Unsolved arson, money needed to follow up, proceed with investigations, more paperwork, more wages needed to pay those doing the paperwork... it all boils down to who looks the best on paper.

Of course, your premiums will now go through the roof because although the pillow was "accidentaly" left on the monitor, you are now considered a risk because you are stupid enough to leave soft furnishings on electrical items..... if not a potential self arson risk, to claim the insurance.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 01 Nov 04 - 05:48 AM

1 solved accident is better than 1 unsolved arson case...

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Nov 04 - 02:51 AM

Hesperis, I agree with you completely. MY list of adjectives includes those two and many, many more.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: hesperis
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 02:01 PM

Accidental, when there was a robber that tried to cover up evidence of identity theft by setting a fire?

Stupid, incompetent... arrrgh!

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 09:18 AM

I found the remains of a pillow on top of the remains of the monitor. I showed it to the fire investigator and he took the remains away with him. The official cause of the fire has been ruled as "accidental" because there is no way we can convince anyone that we do not ordinarily store pillows on top of our computer monitor. My girlfriend was the last person in that room and there were no pillows in evidence at the time.

I hadn't thought of the thieves bringing the cards back into use. It shouldn't matter because two of the three card accounts are now closed and the third one has been replaced and the old account closed. Anyone who accepts a charge without checking the account is risking his own money.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 09:08 AM

There is currently a 'meme' circulating in the media here about turning off all appliances on 'standby mode' to save power - but the damn stupid things lose their clocks and won't work because they don't have a backup battery that we users can access to keep the clock alive when the power is off, so we are stuffed. About the only thing that will keep the clock going is the PC and some bedside alarm clocks.

I've set up my PC arrangement now so that with one switch I can turn off modems, printers, speakers, etc - these all have power packs that draw current even when the item is switched off anyway - it all adds up.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 06:24 AM

Hope all is settling down now...

If these fires are such a problem, why do house builders always insist on putting wall sockets at ankle height or tucked in stupid corners? If you can't reach the sockets, how you going to switch them off?

And why are electrical items designed to be left on? How many items does a person need with a clock on it? We have time display on the video, the DVD, the stereo, and microwave. You can even get them on fridges, freezers and printers. Turn these off and you have to spend ages resetting all the clocks before the damn stuff will record what you want at the time you want it, or else live with those annoying flashing signals telling you to set the time again.

I once read that more monitor fires were caused by dust and debris (for this, read pet hair, paper dust and coffee spills) in the back of the unit, than by any power surge. My workfriend in IT certainly seems to think so... he's in charge of about 3,000 computers (1,000 in my building alone) and never had a fire in any that weren't caused by some twit spilling coffee, covering the vents with paper piles or by dropping it whilst still plugged in.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: hesperis
Date: 29 Oct 04 - 01:12 AM

Oh, this is horrible. :(

*hugs* Here's hoping that things get a lot better, fast.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 10:47 PM

They are known to retire stolen cards after a few months, then bring it out again in a year or so. If the activity slacks off, don't think that it has gone away, it has just gone dormant for a while.

I use a surge protector also, and bought one for the highest rating that I could reasonably afford (there is overkill after a while on these things). It not only makes sense for a power-off reason, like the monitor, it also means that your computer can't turn on by itself if some malware has programmed it to turn on at 3am and purge all of your files or send your personal data to a third world country.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 09:58 PM

So it looks like somebody tried to fake a 'monitor fire'?

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 08:38 PM

Things are quiet on the Guam front. I think the landlord may have gone to his lawyer who explained that all he was going to get out of me was my security deposit. At least I hope that's what happened. The ID theft has topped out at around $26K. No new events on that score... so far.

The monitor and all the computer hardware was plugged into a surge protector. The power was off at the surge protector. There was no electricity going to any part of the computer desk at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 09:48 AM

When did this happen?

(I use a ViewSonic PerfectFlat A95f, but I turn off the power to it when I'm finished using it.)

Brett, I have been wondering how things have gone in regard to the fire and landlord lawsuit. I haven't kept up on your other threads--what news?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Caroline
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 05:17 AM

My home was destroyed by a Viewsonic P815 21" monitor. We were fast asleep when it happened....I don't recommend Viewsonic monitors!

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Sep 04 - 10:28 AM

When I did my Building Warden Fire Safety Training Course, it was known by Fire Depts that any electrical equipment left turned on - and that even included the 'standby mode' that your TV is on so that it can switch on via remote control - is liable to have something go wrong and may start a fire. Always turn ALL electrical appliances off when going away on holiday - even empty out the fridge and turn off your hot water heater.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 09:51 PM

I have a lawyer. He is supposed to be a pretty good one. He sued the US Olympic Team to get a Guam kid reinstated when he was booted for no good reason. He won that one.

I am getting used to the idea of the lawsuit. At first it scared me but now it only scares me.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 08:48 PM

Brett,
Get a lawyer. The fire was part of a robbery. Let the courts handle this and don't make yourself crazy trying to prove you were not responsible.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 07:55 PM

I used to leave my computer on 24/7 because I was part of the SETI program. That was when I was home in Maine. However, I decided that was a waste of my time and I didn't like the computer always working. I like to turn things off when I'm not using them. And that's what I do now. A lot of people here at the office leave their computers on when they leave for the night but I always turn mine off. I just don't like to waste electricity nor do I want to take the chance that something might happen (lightning strike for example).

So nobody knows of any circumstance when a computer has started a fire?

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 05:47 AM

Especially if he makes point of turning the PC off when going out.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:08 AM

tsk..Naemanson didn't put a pillow on his monitor!...but a good lawyer might HELP make that point..

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Bill D
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 11:21 PM

Print out this thread, and take IT to court, showing how the fire seems to have started in the first place....YOU can't be held responsible for break-ins and malicious damage by others.

If the owner didn't have insurance, he is just grasping at straws, blaming whoever is most handy.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 11:17 PM

Now it gets serious! The owner of the house wants to sue me for damages claiming the fire started in my computer so I am responsible. The fire department has ruled that the fire was accidental.

I need some good info here. Does anyone have any source on fires starting in computers? Is there any literature out there that gives any kind of statistics on fires caused by computers?

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 27 Aug 04 - 12:52 AM

Well, that explains the now obvious arson attempt. Ensure that the Police are aware of the monetary matters as well, as the arson. They may catch him eventually - maybe even someone who lived there previously.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: CarolC
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 11:25 PM

Oh man, Brett. I don't know what to say. Pobrecito. Does the bank insure accounts for that sort of thing, or are you stuck with the loss yourself?

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 07:58 PM

Well it did work the way Rapaire (26 Aug 04 - 09:00 AM) says it should for the credit card. The fraud department called me and we immediately took care of that problem. There were some massive purchases made and someone is out some money.

Unfortunately the thief apparently also got a box of my checks that were on the desk. With the mess from the fire their loss couldn't be seen right away. It was only when I went in to the credit union that I realized that things were worse than I thought they were. My net worth is now in the negative numbers and my legitimate checks are bouncing all over the island. Sigh, this is really getting to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: ard mhacha
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 03:11 PM

Two months ago my Monitor started producing black smoke, I immediately unplugged it and carried it into the garden.
The PC had only been on a half hour, the Monitor was completely clear none of the vents were covered, I bought the PC as new two years previously from a well known company.
Of course the Monitor was a write off, and a word or two of advice, don`t inhale too much of the bloody awful stinking smoke, so my friends beware in all mass produced items there is a hidden danger.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 02:20 PM

Sounds like you're slowly unwinding that mess. Next time ask to speak to their supervisor, Judy, and go up the chain until you find the person who can say "yes." It works for me. I've had to go up through three of four levels to get there, though.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Smartass
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 01:48 PM

Just make sure that you install a firewall on your next computer ...

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: JudyB
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 12:41 PM

You're right, SRS - that's the way it should happen. The person (using the term loosely) used his own (probably phony) name with my address and credit card number. I've had purchases turned down because I used my initials rather than my first name - his name is nothing like mine. And the real subscriptions that are deducted from my card monthly notified me that my card had been cancelled (as it had been) and asked me to supply a new number - wonder why his subscriptions didn't do that! The only thing I could figure is that someone at the bank was waiting for him to run up enough charges to move it from misdemeanor to felony - which would take a while as the charges were probably under $100/month.

As far as I know, all the charges were for things you sign up for by clicking a little popup box on a computer (our cats were amused at the organic dog biscuit samples, though I was less amused by the fact it was an opt-out deal and I had to call to cancel the order or I'd get a new box every month). I called the first couple of places that showed up on my statement to see what they were because I'm occasionally not sure how some things that I've bought will be billed, and they were all good about cancelling the account. Once I realized it was a problem and not an error and contacted the bank, they said to leave it up to them.

I just got a notification that they had concluded their investigation and reimbursed me what they owed me - haven't checked to see if I agree, but if it's even close I'm going to drop the matter. With a few notable exceptions, the folks I talked to (once a month, for 30-90 minutes at a time) were fairly helpful, although they occasionally gave conflicting advice, and a couple of them said they'd have my service charges refunded - which they can't do - all they can do is request to some supervisor that they be refunded, and when it was turned down, they didn't let me know - so I had more service charges the next month because I hadn't paid the charges from the last month - messy!

I just got my shiny new credit card from a totally different bank in the mail, and as soon as I know it's working, that bank is history.

JudyB

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 09:00 AM

Two weeks ago we were driving to Wenatchee, Washington, a round trip of about 1,500 miles. On the way my cell phone sounded off -- the credit union calling to tell us that our Mastercard had been "compromised."

No use was made of it, and we got new cards last week, and we promptly made use of them.

Two days ago I got a call from the CU -- would I verify some card purchases? I could and did.

That's the way it should work!

A couple years ago my mother-in-law's card was stolen and she was NEVER called, even after a big-screen TV and an Apple computer were charged to it -- purchases which should have triggered a security response, since she's 87 and such would have been totally out of character when compared to her usual purchases. She paid the $50 maximum she was required to pay (my wife say, "Tell them to whistle for it" but the mil is Old School), businesses are out some big buck$, and my costs went up incremently.

That's NOT the way it should work.

I wondered about a crime cover-up as well. This wasn't done by an unsophisticated person.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 26 Aug 04 - 08:42 AM

The Stupidity of printing that code on the back of the card stuns me. The banks used to make a fuss about telling you to keep your pin which came on a seperate piece of paper in a seperate envelope, separate from your credit card / bank card...

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 03:33 PM

Judy,

Given the subscriptions, your bank should not only be able to cancel the charges, they should be able to work with the places where the charges were made and track down the user. The companies receiving the fraudulent money should cancel the accounts and identify the thief. At least cut them off.

The thing that saavy thieves do these days is get the card number and the little three-digit code on the back, but make sure the card is returned or never goes missing, so the owner is not aware they have been compromised. A friend had her purse stolen, and since nothing turned up with the stolen checks right away, she didn't change her account, just got new checks. After a couple of weeks, here comes the first of the month (when her paycheck was directly deposited) and they hit her hard. You'd think the bank would have warned her about this possibility.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: JudyB
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 02:05 PM

I agree. My credit card number was stolen back in March, and even though I reported the fraudulant charges within a couple of days of the time the first one appeared on my on-line statement, I'm still having monthly conversations with the nice folks at the bank and new charges are still popping up - it appears that some subscriptions that were billed to the old cancelled card were automatically switched to the replacement card. AOL was the most recent - the thief must have had a 60-day free trial or something, so even though the old card was only used during the 10-day spree months ago, the bill showed up for the first time in July. Until that happened, I thought things were almost settled. Now I've just got a new credit card from a new back not related to my old bank, and will soon completely cancel the replacement card at the old bank - seems the only way to make sure I don't get a bunch of renewal surprises in a year or so.

So the additional recommendation is to check all statements to make sure there's nothing you didn't charge, and to keep doing it, month after month. Charley used to be a bit casual about his credit card statements as long as the total was about what he expected - now he's more careful. In my case the person using my card didn't make any huge purchases - just signed up for a lot of stuff on line. Of course, if the card hadn't been cancelled as fast as it was, who knows what they would have tried once they had some successes under their belt.

And even if your online accounts seem to be fine at the moment, I'd recommend changing the passwords as soon as possible.

I loved the description of the waves and the storm on the News from Guam thread - it does help to step back and look around, when it gets so you can do that.

Keep us posted!
JudyB

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 11:29 AM

Brett,

Did you have any passwords or accounts set up on your computer (Credit Union, Credit cards, One-Click at Amazon, for example) that the intruder might have raided? Melting the computer might both limit your access to check those accounts, and distract you from even thinking about it. You might want to check your online accounts (banking, mail order, etc.) ASAP. If they set them up to send money or resources elsewhere, you want to find out now.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amos
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 10:44 AM

To be precise it is not all heat -- work is also a byproduct.

Anyway, as I said above normal temps are 140-160 Farenheit.

Gawd knows what that becomes with various additive vectors like blocked ventilation.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: s&r
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:53 AM

Not just the crt - electrical usage all ends up as heat, so the chips and losses in the transformers, current through the resistors etc all produce heat something like 100/200 watt light bulb. Surround it with a heat insulator and the heat builds up. In my early life I fixed televisions and a constant souce of trouble was covering the top of the sets with fancy cloths. Building monitors/tv's into cabinets with inadequate ventilation is another dangerous and not uncommon practice.

The heater in a crt heats the cathode, which emits a stream of electrons - this is the 'cathode ray' No heater, no electrons are given off so it doesn't reach the front because it doesn't exist.

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:31 AM

Modern Motherboards with inbuilt video and most modern video cards, as well as most modern monitors can be set up to switch off (by Windows - and presumably other OSes as well - some MB bioses have the power saving built in) after a certain period of time for power saving - this should also reduce the heat.

Since someone allegedly switched the PC on, I'd say that either someone accessed the internet from the PC, then to cover their tracks, or just to set a fire for the purpose of covering their tracks, if not just deliberate malicious arson.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Hugh Jampton
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:29 AM

Strange but true. Did you read recently of the rabbit who was at the bottom of a bonfire that was lit with the aid of paraffin? The unfortunate creature was itself set on fire and dashed in terror underneath the store shed of a cricket club that contained £60,000 of ground keeping and cricket equipment. The shed in turn caught fire destroying everything within before the Fire Brigade could save it. A Brigade spokesman is reported as saying the poor rabbit was probably consumed also.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Charley Noble
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 09:02 AM

Hmmm!

You don't suppose a long-haired cat sleeping on top of a computer monitor could start a fire? I suppose if it began getting too hot they might move, or at least complain enough so we would come and set up a fan to cool them off.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble and the furry gang

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:41 AM

"Unfortunately, most CRT monitors do not have an overheating sensor which would switch it off when too hot"

That's an interesting thought Mudguard. Perhaps the requirement for such a sensor should be included in the safety standards. I doubt it would add much towards the cost and it could perhaps even save a life one day.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: MudGuard
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 08:17 AM

First of all: sorry to hear of your troubles.
At least nobody was hurt!

Some physics:

The CRT needs to be heated to work (if cold, the ray doesn't reach the front).
Some of the heat escapes and heats the the air around it.
Now heated air expands and therefore has a lower specific weight.
This makes the heated air climb upwards (that is what keeps hot air balloons above ground).
Usually this hot air can escape the monitor through the holes in the top (with cooler air flowing in through the holes on the sides and the bottom).
If you block the holes at the top, this thermic effect is blocked, the hot air is not transported out of the monitor.
It is heated more and more by the excess heat of the CRT.

The holes on the top are the most important as the heated air is at the top of the monitor and wants to escape to the top.

If the pillow was bigger than the top surface of the monitor, it hang down on the sides and thus also blocked the top rows of venting holes on the sides, making it even more difficult for the hot air to escape from the monitor.

Unfortunately, most CRT monitors do not have an overheating sensor which would switch it off when too hot ...

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amos
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 03:15 AM

That fame stuff is soo weird. It NEVER comes from where you expect it.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 Aug 04 - 01:52 AM

Hmm, getting famous, yeah, right, THAT's a good idea. I have a tough enough time with anonymity. I went to Australia last year and someone introduced me as Naemanson in a group of Mudcats. One kid, maybe in her 20s, piped up, "Oh, you're the famous Naemanson!" You coulda knocked me over with a feather. I can't figure out what she meant.

If I wanted to try for fame I'd play rock 'n roll.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 11:22 PM

Naemanson

You could conduct your experiment with a live web cam, so we could all watch - you could even charge entry - put a notice on Ebay - tell the story of your burgulary/arson & sell tickets - and at the last minute, email them the web address... you would have to use a different email provider in order to cover your tracks of course... if you did it for free, you might even collapse the internet...

BTW, you could also use that exercise as a method of gathering people to sell your CDs to, so as to make a litle extra money... play your music while the webcam is running...

You could easily get famous, one way or another...

Robin

:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Peace
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:42 PM

Naemanson,

Message me when you can, SVP. We'll arrange to chat. Have a few questions.

Bruce Murdoch

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amos
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:40 PM

If you do, I'd like to hear a few of your data points, Brett.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:34 PM

This trick seems to be above and beyond anything a simple burglar would pull. I don't get it. I would expect anyone who wanted to set a fire would do it with the abundant paper that was in the room or maybe would bring along some gas or other accelerant. This is a few levels beyond that.

Mary, I didn't lose anything important from the mainland. At least nothing that I know of yet. All my CDs were downstairs though there was a rack with cassettes in it on the floor of the fire room. I haven't had time to check on them.

Carol, if and when I can afford to buy another computer I hope to be able to get one of those fancy monitors.

I just remembered something fun. A friend has a bunch of computer monitors he bought from some kind of surplus sale. He's been trying to sell them to us since then. Maybe I could get one of those, plug it in, put a pillow on it, stick a thermometer next to it and put it in a closed space. Then I could see what happened.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:26 PM

Yep LH, FWIW, I've just taken a look at mine. Again, it appears to draw air from bottom and sides to be released from the top.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:13 PM

A really mean and vindictive stunt. Be glad that you are both safe. Lose anything from the states that we can replace for you?
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:10 PM

I recommend a plasma moniter in the future, if possible. It's not easy to perch a pillow on a monitor that's only and inch or so thick.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 07:46 PM

I've been checking out my monitor here to see how the vents work. It has vents on the sides, under the rear part, and on top. It appears that the lower vents pull in the cool air, because the hot air is mostly venting out the top. Thus, it would definitely cause a big buildup of heat to block the top vents with a pillow on this monitor, and I figure yours was probably similar. It's an odd thing for housebreakers to do, and a very nasty one.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 07:30 PM

Gargoyle, thanks for signing your Guest post. I would agree if it was an accident but those pillows were in their proper place and the computer system was turned off when we left the house. Besides, suing my parents would get me nothing. They don't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.

What I was hoping for with this thread was something along the line of Amos' contribution on the potential heat inside the monitor. Thanks, Amos.

I am aware of the dust and dirt buildup in electronic equipment though, like many people in this world, I tend to forget about it during my daily chores. Maybe a can of compressed air will sit beside my next computer and get used on occasion.

The pillows in question were designed for use on a couch according to Wintergreen who bought them. I assume they were fire resistant. The piece that was left on the monitor top appeared mostly undamaged though the fire was hot enough to crack the congrete block wall behind the monitor. The pillow fragment may have survived because the monitor fell to the floor after the monitor base melted.

I guess the best this thread can offer is to suggest to the rest of the computer world that there are potential dangers that must be guarded against.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amergin
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 06:38 PM

Yeah at least the guitars were safe....


Sorry to hear about this Brett...I hope they string up the bastards that did this....it sounds very deliberate to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,SueB
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 06:32 PM

I sure am glad the guitars were okay, and the people of course, but what a shame.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 11:48 AM

So sorry to hear about your troubles, Brett. I hope you get a looooooong stretch of smooth sailing starting right now.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: s&r
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 11:48 AM

Just to save everybody looking

" just got an unexpected phone call from Brett - he would have called Charlie but it is late in Maine.

Seems Brett and Wakana came back from doing errands (including getting utilities set up for their new place) to find that their new place had been burgled! Wakana's laptop was stolen, but the guitars are safe down stairs. Not only did they toss the joint and steal an indeterminate amount of stuff, but they then set the house on fire. So when Brett drove up it was all charred and smoke damaged. The fire was started at his computer station where a pillow had been left to burn from the heat of a monitor (the burglars had to turn the system on and place a pillow on it to make this happen, so Brett reckons it was arson. Police and Fire officials are still working it.) The whole upstairs is smoke-damaged and charred, especially where the computer was.

What all this means, unfortunately is that Brett is sleeping on a borrowed floor somewhere in Guam, the t-shirt and shorts he has on being the only clothes not smoke-damaged or burned. I guess all those nice clothes he bought in San Diego are layered with smoke from burning CRTs and such...jaisus!!

He wanted me to post a report to you all and say it will be a while before he'll get to a borrowed computer and post to his thread.

I told him he was living an awful interesting sort of life with all these catastrophes in it, and he managed to laugh, so I guess he ain't broke, but it isn't as if he needed this extra chaos in his life!!!

Well, that's about it -- we couldn't talk long as it was his nickel from way the hell overseas. He sounded okay, considering all he's been through, and asked me to pass his warm greetings on to all his friends, so consider them passed to you.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 11:28 AM

There is much more about this in Brett's "News from Guam" thread. His home was burgled and the fire deliberate, from what he has recounted there.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Rapparee
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 08:57 AM

Dust can get inside computers and monitors (and other electronic equipment as well). I've even see spiderwebs in them! This can help block air flow, especially if the junk has been inside for a while -- as might be in a six year old monitor. Couple that with blocked vents and you might reach the ignition point of a pillow.

Consider, too, the age of the monitor. Computer innards DO fail, and not necessarily quietly and with a whimper. I've seem 'em do everything but burst into flames, and I'm not ruling out that they could. The moral is: blow the dust out with "canned air" every so often -- and DON'T use a dust cover unless you're in a very dusty environment (and if you must use one, wait several minutes after you power off for the thing to cool off).

But if there were pillows there that weren't there in the morning, I'd suspect maliciousness. How old were the pillows? Some older ones had a much lower ignition point than more recent ones (remember how Stan Rogers died?). I'd look at who might have been in the house when I was gone if you're certain about the pillows.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Mr Red
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 07:55 AM

If the pillow was placed on a monitor just after it had been switched off it would retain more heat but to start a fire you would need more than just that.

Blame Bill Gates - by default.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 07:47 AM

I don't understand what you are saying with regard to your incident but ventilation holes are not there for decoration. It doesn't really matter if your monitor had vents in the bottom and sides. If it had vents in the top as well, they would have been taken into the design considerations. The bottom line on that bit is simple - if your appliance has vents never cover them or assume you know better than the manufacturer (I'm not suggesting you did any such thing).

Sorry to hear of your disaster. I hope nothing personal and irreplacable went missing or got damaged.

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 03:46 AM

What's missing, would it fit in a pillowcase? Apparently some burglars take pillowcases to carry away your goodies. Did anybody check the burnt pillow for a cover?
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amos
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:45 AM

The normal range is up to around 140 F. Blocking the normal airflow increases that, I don't know by how much.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Amos
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:25 AM

Garg:

Bite me.

Brett:

The pillow wasn't on the monitor when you left? There's no telling how that could have happened. There are spots that get hot enough to start some materials smoldering.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 04 - 12:04 AM

Stupid people...usually create "stupid accidents."

because of the gentetic correlataion to intelligence - sue your parents.

Sue Your PARENTS.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 11:57 PM

Sounds like there was some tampering going on, Brett. If the power strip was off, why would the monitor be able ignite?

SRS

Subject: BS: Fire in Computer Monitor Destroys Home
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 11:50 PM

Last week a fire started in my computer monitor and filled the house with blinding black smoke. I was not home. The firemen reported that it was a smoldering fire and the house was so smoky that they could not see at all. They found the fire by ventilating the rooms. That allowed the fire to flame up so they could put it out. They say the fire had been burning for some time to fill the house, upstairs and down, with that much smoke.

The key is that the system (a 6 year old HP computer) was definitely turned off. All hardware is plugged into a power strip. The power strip is used to turn on the system and the system is only on when in use. Otherwise the system is turned off.

There were some items missing from the room and there was a pillow on the floor that had not been there in the morning. There was the remains of another pillow on top of what had once been the montor.

Question: Can placing a pillow on top of a monitor start a fire? Aren't there heat ventilation holes in the sides and bottom of a monitor?