As if all the news about exploding Galaxy Note smartphones wasn't enough, now Samsung has another fire to put out: reports of exploding washing machines.
Catherine Fishbaugh has just purchased a new front loader washer, as a replacement for a machine that she says exploded during a wash load in her Ohio home.
Lid blows off during wash cycle
"I opened the laundry room door" Fishbaugh said, "and I noticed the lid of my washing machine had blown up."
Photos on her computer show the damage from the August incident, which she says left her shaken.
"The dryer was dented, the washing machine was dented, and I had no idea what happened. It destroyed itself," she said.
The tub had apparently flown loose during the spin cycle, banging into the sides of the machine, sending it banging into the wall and dryer, and finally popping the locked lid off.
So this working mom immediately typed the issue into Google and couldn't believe what popped up.
"I found a Facebook group, and there were lots of other people that had the same situation as I had. There was one woman who messaged me privately and she had actually been hit by her washing machine."
Warning to owners
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has just issued a warning about top loading Samsungs sold between 2011 and 2016, after 21 reports of the machines blowing apart during a wash load.
Samsung says it is working on a remedy, and has issued a consumer alert, saying until then owners should use only the delicate cycle for bulky or heavy loads.
Fishbaugh, luckily, was working outside the house when this happened. She hates to think of what might have taken place had she been inside her cramped laundry room when the lid blew off.
"It would have possibly slammed me into the back of the door, or would have been slammed into the wall,"she said.
She says Samsung was very responsive, and has just issued her a refund for the damaged machine.
What you can do
But she still wants to warn others, especially moms with young children, who might have those youngsters with them in the laundry room while the machine is running.
If you have a Samsung top loader washer you can check to see if your model number is affected by checking Samsung'swebsite. The more popular front loaders are not affected, and are not at risk.
That way your family stays safe, and you don't waste your money.
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