Summary
- Burning mouse claimed, causing concerns; Gigabyte reached out to determine the cause.
- The mouse in question is battery-free, making accusations inconsistent, but the dispute remains ongoing.
- Concerned PC gamers urged to remain calm as old battery-free mouse model commonly used without issues; advised to regularly inspect stored battery devices.
A gamer has alleged that their mouse caught fire and could have burned their home down, raising concern among PC users. The user has provided numerous images as "proof" of the claims, though some PC gamers remain unsure if the accusations are legitimate.
As consumer electronics have demanded more power, there have been stories of devices like phones or controllers catching fire due to battery problems. In some cases, fires or explosions have started due to old batteries that have swelled up. However, the usual suspects are missing in this case, which is largely why some remain curious about it.
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Reddit user lommelinn stunned PC users when they shared their story of their gaming mouse catching fire. According to the gamer, they were out of the room and smelled smoke, and upon entering, found their mouse burning with "large flames." Although they managed to put out the fire in time to prevent any severe outcomes, the top of the mouse is absolutely torched and melted, portions of the desk are damaged, and according to lommelinn, their room is full of dark particles that were released as the fire burned. They're understandably concerned by what's happened, and the manufacturer of the mouse, Gigabyte, has reached out to try and determine what went wrong and to determine if the accusation is true.
PC Gamers Point Out Inconsistencies With Burning Mouse Claims
While fans are sympathetic to the situation and have expressed that they're glad the user's life and home are safe, there have also been a lot of doubts raised. The Gigabyte mouse in question is a wired model, with no internal battery whatsoever, so it's not possible for the usual battery faults to be to blame. Users have also pointed out that older types of USB connection, like that used by this mouse model, should only draw a small amount of energy, which generally wouldn't be able to generate a fire like this. Others have noted that the wire would likely show signs of damage in an incident like this, but it appears to be fine in the photos. Furthermore, a later picture shared by lommelinn shows the bottom of the mouse being largely undamaged, yet the fire was apparently enough to burn through their desk, which the mouse had been resting on.
For the moment, PC gamers shouldn't panic about their mice causing a problem. This particular mouse model is several years old, and no known prior reports of similar incidents have been found. Nonetheless, it's a good reminder to inspect devices that do contain batteries from time to time to catch any swelling batteries early, even if the electronic isn't currently being used.