Every year, household appliances and electronics are responsible for many fires, explosions and burn injuries.  These involve gas grills, electric stoves, outdoor candles, hair dryers, laptop computers, coffee makers, deep fryers, batteries etc.  Most are caused by defective electrical wiring in appliances that short circuit and ignite.

Causes of Fire and Burn Hazards

Faulty Wiring

Defective wiring in an appliance can quickly short circuit, causing the appliance bursting into flames.  It's not possible for a consumer to detect wiring problems and when accidents occur, they often result in burn injuries to the hands and body.

Overheating

Defective manufacturing and design can cause appliances to overheat, resulting in burn injuries to persons using the appliance. In 2008, Sears recalled a line of coffeemakers that were prone to overheating, causing melting of the plastic casing and damage to the countertop. Also, JC Penny recalled a line of deep fryers after the heating element of the fryer was found to overheat, causing burn injuries to users.  Sony was forced to recall a line of laptop computers after overheated batteries began to result in smoke and flames emerging from the computer.  Several burn injuries were reported before the notebooks were pulled off the shelves.

Defective Manufacturing

A defective product can cause injuries even when it is used in the manner intended by the manufacturer. In the past few years, several products have been recalled due to manufacturing defects that can lead to serious burn injuries. For instance, in 2007, Lowe's was forced to recall the Perfect Flame Four Burner Gas Grills that were missing a hose connecting the grill to the side burners, exposing users to fire and burn hazards. Also, in 2007, a brand of hair styling irons were recalled after it was found that the "on/off" switch had been installed incorrectly, so that the irons would turn on when they were meant to switch off.

Other manufacturing defects include:

• Gas grills that melt while heating. 
• Gas ovens that can cause gas to build up within the oven, resulting in minor explosions. 
• Self cleaning ovens burst into flames when the door is opened.
• Stoves with ill fitting burners that cause propane gas leaks. 
• Stoves with missing parts, resulting in fire hazards.  
• Appliances with faulty labeling or insufficient instructions.