Toshiba laptop fire reignites Sony battery fiasco

Almost a year after the IT industry was rocked by a spate of laptop fires caused by faulty Sony batteries, Toshiba has today urged owners of its laptops equipped with the faulty components to seek replacements.

A Toshiba portable computer with a Sony battery pack caught fire on 24 May 2007, and Toshiba said that it immediately asked Sony to investigate.

The investigation confirmed that the cause of the fire was the battery pack, as in other incidents with laptops containing the faulty Sony batteries. 

"Despite Toshiba's continued efforts to promote participation in the replacement programme, and although Sony recommended replacement, the PC still had the original battery pack," Toshiba stated.

"This incident followed another that occurred this April in Japan, also involving an un-replaced battery pack.

"Toshiba recognises the importance of this situation and is determined to make every effort to assure the safety and comfort of its customers.

"Accordingly, the company is now embarking on a new round of efforts to encourage customers to check their PCs and to get the battery replaced if it is on the list."

A Dell portable computer with a Sony battery pack caught fire at a conference in Japan in June 2006.

Sony announced a global replacement programme on 28 September 2006 for a number of battery packs supplied to computer makers, including Toshiba.

Manufacturers have since been offering customers free replacements of the battery packs identified as at risk by Sony.

Toshiba said that, while the primary cause of the fire in the 24 May incident was not identified, damage resulting from a short circuit within the battery pack confirmed that the problem originated in the battery pack.

Owners of Toshiba notebook PCs with any of the PC models on the list are " urgently requested" to visit their local Toshiba website or contact a local customer support centre and determine whether their PC has one of the subject Sony battery packs.

The Toshiba support website provides a battery check utility and visual identification manual.