Recalled Sony laptop battery 'caused fire in UK'

Japanese electronics manufacturer Toshiba today said a Sony battery pack that had yet to be replaced under a recall burst into flames last month in the UK.

It was the third Toshiba laptop blaze suspected of being linked to the problem.

Sony announced a massive recall of its laptop batteries last year after it was found that they could overheat and catch fire. More than 10 million notebook batteries have been recalled, including those from other major computer makers, Dell, Lenovo, Apple and Acer.

Given the recent fires, Toshiba said it would step up efforts to reach all customers who may own a laptop with the recalled lithium-ion battery pack.

Previous fires in Toshiba laptops suspected of being caused by the Sony battery were reported in Brazil in December 2006, and in Japan in April, according to Toshiba.

In the third fire, the UK laptop caught fire in the owner’s office on May 24, and the fire burned parts of a desk, although no injury was reported, said Toshiba spokeswoman Yuko Sugahara.

The specific cause of the fire was not determined, but it was confirmed the problem originated in the Sony battery, Toshiba said.

Tokyo-based Toshiba is in talks with Sony about reimbursement for expenses for the laptop recall, but will not disclose details, Sugahara said.

Sony says the problems were caused by microscopic metal particles that mistakenly got inside the battery, causing short-circuiting.