msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Oct 29, 2019 16:36:34 GMT
A woman posted a warning to Cricut owners to unplug their machines when not in use. A fire official traced her house fire to her Cricut. Cut and paste because I'm not sure how to post it from FaceBook. Maybe this will work: FaceBook "Please share to spread the word...
The fire investigator asked us to notify anyone we knew with a cricut machine. If you own a Cricut machine please keep it unplugged when not in use. Mine was plugged in, on and NOT in use when the fire started. We are not the first people whose cricut started a fire.
We are out of our home for 8+months. It’s a complete gut. Just unplug the damn machine! Here’s a before and after picture. We bought the cricut explore air 2 on May 13, 2019 brand new.
EDIT: initially the fire marshal thought it was the extension cord. HOWEVER the Fire Investigator said it was the cricut. Please be kind & don’t comment mean things, no need to be nasty to me about it. I’m just spreading the word. I never thought to unplug my devices." Cricut responded with a standard message about their commitment to safety. link to Cricut blogA poster on Scrapbook.com posted about a Cricut fire in August, but I think this is a different fire. Yikes! Have any of you noticed your machine is running hot? Or warm when just plugged in but not in use? |
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FurryP
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To pea or not to pea...
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Jun 26, 2014 19:58:26 GMT
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Post by FurryP on Oct 29, 2019 19:18:15 GMT
Wow. That is a charred Cricut for sure! Cricut on the barbie anyone?
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GiantsFan
Prolific Pea
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Jun 27, 2014 14:44:56 GMT
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Post by GiantsFan on Oct 29, 2019 20:40:48 GMT
Yikes! I always unplug my cricut and silhoutte when not in use. but only because it's the same outlet I use for my printer and Ott light.
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Post by hmp on Oct 29, 2019 22:00:15 GMT
Now that is seriously Halloween scary!
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Post by mom on Oct 29, 2019 22:28:04 GMT
Im always afraid that I will leave my Mind MINC on and burn the house down. Guess I can add my Silhouette to the list of things to double check.
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Post by grammadee on Oct 29, 2019 23:00:06 GMT
Im always afraid that I will leave my Mind on and burn the house down. Guess I can add my Silhouette to the list of things to double check. Pretty sure you didn't mean this! I shut my Cricut down when I am done using it but don't unplug it. It is plugged into a circuit breaker. I don't always shut down my computer or the Silhouette. Guess I will have to start doing that. |
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Post by mom on Oct 29, 2019 23:12:04 GMT
Im always afraid that I will leave my Mind on and burn the house down. Guess I can add my Silhouette to the list of things to double check. Pretty sure you didn't mean this! I shut my Cricut down when I am done using it but don't unplug it. It is plugged into a circuit breaker. I don't always shut down my computer or the Silhouette. Guess I will have to start doing that. ha! nope! Didn't mean that at all! |
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Post by joblackford on Oct 29, 2019 23:17:09 GMT
I wonder if having it plugged into a power strip/bar with a switch to turn power off when not in use would be sufficient to keep safe. Hopefully.
Definitely very scary, but I wonder how many fires have been blamed on appliances like these in comparison to more common appliances we have like coffee makers and toasters. Not something I'd want to mess around with though, especially since I don't cut as often as I toast or make coffee. I always used to roll my eyes when my coworker would unplug the coffee machine each night, but maybe she had a point.
Reminds me, I need to stop using my lamp's USB port as a charging spot for my phone so I can flip the switch on my power bar when I'm not crafting.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,119 
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Post by iowgirl on Oct 30, 2019 13:49:43 GMT
I wonder if having it plugged into a power strip/bar with a switch to turn power off when not in use would be sufficient to keep safe. Hopefully. Power strips themselves can be a fire hazard. Make sure you do not over load them. NEVER plug in a heat press to them. I know a ton of people use heat presses with the Silhouette and Cricut machines, but they can be really dangerous. Don't use power strips or extension cords with them, ever. Make sure you have it plugged in to a 20 amp circuit that is dedicated. The ways I have seen people hook up heat presses makes me wonder why more have not burned their houses down. |
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Post by Tammiem2pnc1 on Oct 30, 2019 14:50:02 GMT
I have had a cricut for years and have always left it plugged in. My heat press however, only stays plugged in while in use.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 23, 2024 17:33:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2019 16:20:11 GMT
Actually, this is fake news.
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Post by anniefb on Oct 30, 2019 16:24:15 GMT
My Silhouette is always plugged in to a power strip when not in use but maybe it's a better idea to leave it unplugged.
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Oct 30, 2019 17:35:15 GMT
Actually, this is fake news. Confused. Tell me more? |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 23, 2024 17:33:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2019 19:02:39 GMT
October 25th, 2019 • Contributor: Cricut Team
To all our members,
Today, we learned of a user post on Facebook that claimed one of our Cricut machines was the source of a house fire. We are very sorry to hear about the fire and that our member lost her home. While we don't have all the facts of this claim yet, we can say that product safety is our greatest concern.
Since we launched our first Cricut Explore® machine in 2014, followed by Cricut Maker™ in 2017, we've sold millions of machines across the world. We've had a consistent record of safety, and commitment to safety, with our products. It's our mission to give all our members amazing machines and tools to help them live their most creative lives. We firmly stand behind the quality and safety of our products.
Our deepest appreciation,
The Cricut Team
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Oct 30, 2019 20:14:59 GMT
Thanks @sunnycalimom
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Post by Night Owl on Oct 30, 2019 20:49:41 GMT
First I had to worry about my crock pot (thanks to This Is Us) and now my Cricut.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 23, 2024 17:33:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2019 21:09:23 GMT
Is anyone else trying to figure out why it is next to a dirt devil?
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Post by mamagidget on Oct 31, 2019 1:46:54 GMT
I'm no fire expert...but wouldn't everything else around it be charred as well, especially if it was a whole house fire?
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Oct 31, 2019 2:09:10 GMT
Is anyone else trying to figure out why it is next to a dirt devil? Looks like maybe a Dirt Devil box full of debris from the cleanup? |
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Post by refugeepea on Oct 31, 2019 3:06:36 GMT
Is anyone else trying to figure out why it is next to a dirt devil? No. I thought, hey she keeps her vacuum by the kitchen table too! I live in a tri level house with no good spaces for storing away my vacuum, steam mop, (to the side of the table) and all the attachments (underneath). We rarely eat there because of the tight space. It's where I do my scrapping. |
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Deleted
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Apr 23, 2024 17:33:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2019 7:26:21 GMT
I know cord problems happen all the time with all electronics. I really hope this was a freak accident. I feel badly for the family. Cricut has a record with defective cords. Cricut oldies or as I like to say Experts  please fill in the blanks that I can't. When the Imagine was released it caused a fire. A lady on the old Cricut MB her Imagine started a fire. Then right after that fire there were other cases. My cord melted on my Imagine. Come to find out it was the make of HP Printer that HP used to create the Imagine or so PC said at the time. Experts fill in the blanks. It's been so long. A few of us had to use our BossKut Gazelle cord because the Imagine cord was so bad. That was risky too. I can't find the original thread since the MB is now defunct. Sami touched on it with her PC rant thread (lol) bugjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/01/cricut-imagine-problems-if-your-imagine.htmlBugJunkie had the same issue I did-, except my cord did start melting. I caught it when it happened- bugjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/01/cricut-imagine-problems-if-your-imagine.htmlI am not on Facebook so I don't know if I linked this right. Dawn Burgess also brought it up- www.facebook.com/OfficialCricut/posts/why-is-provo-not-addressing-the-issue-with-the-cricut-imagines-catching-fire-why/10150518023606434/It was one of the reasons why the Imagine was such a big fail and why PC had to completely restructure the company. Yes, a lot of it was due to the lawsuits at the time but that Imagine cord fire put the nail in the coffin.
It was a shame. I really liked my Imagine.
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Post by riversong1963 on Nov 1, 2019 13:10:34 GMT
This is all news to me. I've never heard of Cricut machines causing fires. I did unplug mine to be on the safe side, but I think these fires had more to do with wiring in the house than cords on machines. I'm not an electrician, though, so I most certainly could be wrong.
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Post by OntarioScrapper on Nov 25, 2019 18:55:52 GMT
I wonder if having it plugged into a power strip/bar with a switch to turn power off when not in use would be sufficient to keep safe. Hopefully. This is actually what I do. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Nov 26, 2019 23:47:11 GMT
The way I read the comment from Provo Craft, they are saying they “don’t have all the facts yet.” That is not the same as being fake news.
The gal who reported the fire said the fire investigator stated that it was the machine. It’s the job of a fire investigator to figure out the cause of a fire, and he/she is trained to know how to determine the cause. Since the initial assumption was that it was caused by the cord, but it was afterward determined to be the machine (according to the post), then it is extremely likely that the fire investigator was correct. It was probably just a fluke. I’m sure that thousands of Explore machines have been sold. An Explore fire is not a common occurrence, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.
It’s a good idea to unplug ALL electronics, just to be on the safe side. Toasters have been known to cause house fires, too, but we still use them. I just make sure my toaster is unplugged when not in use.
I won’t stress about this. My Explore is unplugged except for when I use it, and I stay nearby while it is operating. I do keep my Cameo plugged in, because I use it the most. I probably need to rethink that, and either unplug it or at least turn off the surge protector power strip that it’s plugged into.
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westom
New Member
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Nov 27, 2019 15:56:13 GMT
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Post by westom on Nov 27, 2019 16:37:56 GMT
It’s a good idea to unplug ALL electronics, just to be on the safe side. ... I probably need to rethink that, and either unplug it or at least turn off the surge protector power strip that it’s plugged into. Then clocks, dishwasher, TVs, LED & CFL bulbs, refrigerator, clock radios, and smoke detectors also must be unplugged. Why do most all appliances (most all contain electronics - even toasters) not create fires? If viewing numbers, then a power strip with protector parts is a most common reason for fires. If found in your luggage, a cruise ship may confiscate that protector strip. Better power strip has a 15 amp circuit breaker, a UL listing, and no protector parts. What caused that fire? If it was a power cord, then its internals were not destroyed. It only suffered external damage. Same applies to power strips that cause fires: i.redd.it/e34962ah06q11.jpgMost fire marshals can trace the source of a fire. But have insufficient training to say why it happened. In this case, power strips also causes a fire house fire. So the fire marshal learned about protector parts causing fires: www.esdjournal.com/techpapr/Pharr/INVESTIGATING%20SURGE%20SUPPRESSOR%20FIRES.docAPC quietly stated some 15 million power strips must be removed immediately due to so many hundreds of house fires created by their protector strips. Instead many can blame a power cord or overloading rather than protector parts that causes a cruise ship to confiscate it. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,114
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Post by scrapnnana on Nov 27, 2019 20:08:38 GMT
Of course no one is going to unplug all electronics. It’s not feasible or desirable in all cases, but the point I was trying to make was that many electronics, including cutters, do not need to be plugged in all the time.
My SIL’s dad was a fire marshal. He said to never to leave a toaster plugged in, because many house fires in his experience were caused by a toaster that had been left plugged in.
An electric clock needs to remain plugged in, but it is also constantly in use. A Cricut machine does not need to be plugged in all the time.
I remember the Imagine quite well. Two fellow employees of the LSS, who were also my friends, were among the eager first customers to order them. One of the two gals got a defective machine. It wouldn’t even turn on. She sent it back, and they replaced it with one that did work. Provo Craft had rushed the Imagine to market, and approximately half of those first machines had to be returned because they didn’t work. Later, some of the Imagine machines caught fire. amayalylac already mentioned that. Provo Craft discontinued those machines in a hurry, although I don’t recall them ever admitting fault even then. Provo Craft, however, learned from their mistake, and they have seemingly been more careful since.
I bought my first electronic cutter in 2005 (blue Wishblade). Since then, I have owned several cutters over time, from 4 different companies. I own Expression 1 and 2, the Explore Air 2, a Gazelle, a Cameo 1 and 3, and a Scan n Cut. None have had any reported problems with fire, until now, and it is the same company that had issues in the past. Even so, I will assume it’s a fluke unless multiple, similar reports start surfacing.
The Explore Air 2 is a good machine. I like mine. I’d love it if it had better software. I am not, however, so naive as to think that there is no possible way that the reported fire must be fake news or else caused by a power strip. It’s the internet, so it could be a false report, but even a high quality machine can fail eventually. I see nothing wrong with encouraging crafters to keep their Cricut machines unplugged when not in use. I think it’s good advice, regardless of what cutter you use.
I will concede that power strips can be a cause of fires, but many people also overload them. It’s always preferable to plug electronics directly into the wall, as well as to unplug them when not in use. It’s not always feasible.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
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westom
New Member
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Nov 27, 2019 15:56:13 GMT
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Post by westom on Nov 28, 2019 1:20:32 GMT
I will concede that power strips can be a cause of fires, but many people also overload them. How does one overload a power strip that has a necessary 15 amp breaker? Not all have that recommended feature - and therefore are not recommended. IOW that overloading can only happen when the consumer fails to learn what that power strip must have. A fire threat is with strips that have protector parts. It does not exist with safer strips - that have no protectors parts and have a UL 1363 listing. The point was that picture. It suggests a fire originated inside the appliance and not on any power cord. Properly designed electronics do not do that. But fire marshals typically do not have sufficient knowledge to say why that fire happened - to study the design. They are only trained to define a point of origin. Industry standards require 'nothing can cause that fire'. Because of the so many redundancies that are required and that are even built inside each integrated circuit. These include fuses, thermal switches, fold-back current limiting, non-flammable resistors, X and Y type filter capacitors, and resetable fuses. Even if any one feature fails, redundancy must make a catastrophic failure impossible. Can parts fail? Of course. And no failure should ever create a catastrophic failure - ie fire. For example, short together all outputs on any power supply. That must not even damage a supply - let alone create a fire. Unfortunately, those fires (including the so many from strips with protector parts) are directly traceable to defective designs. And often due to management that wants to make a profit rather than a better product. Only reason to unplug any electronics - it was defective by design. As was the case with a GE coffee maker. That design was clearly by someone without fundamental electrical knowledge. And created many hundreds of fires before GE finally took action. Again, a fire in how it was designed. A glaring mistake averted had anyone in a design review had basic electrical knowledge. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,114
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Post by scrapnnana on Dec 2, 2019 20:35:22 GMT
Of course power strips can be overloaded. Some devices such as my heat press specifically state that they should not be plugged in to a power strip or extension cord, but too many people don’t bother to read directions. Some people also plug in power strip to power strip, and then use every possible plug. It’s a stupid thing to do, but it still happens.
The OP’s use of “fire marshal” and “fire investigator” seems to refer to two different individuals. The fire investigator may or may not have been a fire marshal, but the investigator should certainly have been trained to determine the cause. That’s his/her job.
I did mention in my post a fire marshal who said that toasters were in his opinion frequently the cause of fires, and therefore should be unplugged. Perhaps that is no longer the case, because lawsuits tend to force companies to shape up if they have put profits over safety. I still, however, unplug my toaster when not in use, because safety is more important than convenience to me, and it’s not that big of a deal to unplug it when not being used. Anything that uses a heating element is potentially a higher risk than other electronic devices. My heat press certainly is. It came with a warning to keep it unplugged when not in use. Our TV, speakers, etc., remain plugged in. They are a much lower risk. Electronic cutters are probably also a lower risk, but just in case the OP’s story is true, why ridicule someone who chooses to unplug their machine until there is more evidence one way or another? That Cricut is an obviously burned mess, and there were some serious problems with the Imagine that were documented.
Westom, you have only posted twice here at RefuPeas. Both times were in this thread. You sound as if you are either a Cricut employee or someone who is a regular here but is trying to be anonymous. Either way, your opinion is tainted.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,114
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Post by scrapnnana on Dec 2, 2019 20:43:55 GMT
Is anyone else trying to figure out why it is next to a dirt devil? Presumably it is next to a Dirt Devil because it was removed from the burned home to a location at the station, and a charred item would leave a mess. That would also be the reason the background is not burned. Fire marshals do remove items from any area where a fire originated. Those items are taken back to the station or somewhere else to be examined. One last thought, though. In all fairness, a Google search is not turning up more than two or three claims of Cricut machines catching fire. One was on Scrapbook.com and appears to be from August 2010. It was an Expression. The second one was someone posting on Cricut the Official Page (Facebook) asking why Provo Craft seems to be doing nothing about all the fires being reported, but I’m not a member of that group, and I’m guessing that Cricut would have removed anything like that. Maybe the OP posted from that page. The third entry is the OP above. That’s it. According to Provo Craft, they have sold millions of machines world wide, and I believe it. If Cricuts were catching on fire, I would think there would be a lot more reports turning up. I won’t say it’s fake news, but if it was the machine that caught fire, then I think it was a fluke and not anything that I will worry about. |
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westom
New Member
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Nov 27, 2019 15:56:13 GMT
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Post by westom on Dec 4, 2019 1:18:27 GMT
I did not find it on a Google search. That proves it did not happen - your reasoning. How many hundreds of fires by one model of APC power strips does your Google search discover? What is that model? I expect at least 700 cited - if Google searches report such fires. Show us this Google search that lists the location of 70 fires by this one model.
Clearly hundreds of fires did not happen because a Google search did not find them.
A Google search will indicate that APC was responsible. Immediately recommended some 15 million power strips be removed immediately due to so many house fires. But the actual fires - how many hundred will a Google search discover? None? Your logic is not based in real world experience.
Redundancy makes such fires impossible. Multiple failures must exist for this fire to happen. Those failures are directly traceable to human mistakes (sometimes fraud). So a responsible company immediate investigates - locates human mistakes that made that fire possible.
Electronic fire means multiple serious defects require immediate attention - if one is responsible. The irresponsible invent reasons to ignore it. 'Fluke fire' is one example.
You unplug your stove when not in use? Because safety is more important than convenience? Anything that uses a heating element is potentially a higher risk. Using that reasoning, unplug the furnace when not in use. Apparently a double standard exists.
Only ridicule comes from you. Unplugging the Cricut must be unnecessary. Nobody was criticized for doing it. Criticized is one whose attitude is "Don't worry; be happy. It is only a fluke." Nonsense. All Cricut users should be concerned about a fire that must never happen in any of over 1 million Cricuts.
When did Cricut arrive to investigate; to locate the reason for that one fire? Only management, that believes in flukes, would not.
"Provo Craft had rushed the Imagine to market, and approximately half of those first machines had to be returned because they didn’t work." Anyone who makes things knows that the last two percent of a design is the most critical part of that design. Rushing products that are 98% complete is the classic symptom of management that does not come from where the work gets done.
Is their management now more responsible? Then their investigators took that machine to discover multiple defects that created a fire. Because fires are not flukes.
Picture demonstrates a fire started inside that machine. What multiple defects made that possible? If they are not investigating, then everyone should unplug their Cricut so as to not be another victim of bad management. It clearly is not a fluke. It is a concern that should never happen in 1 million such machines.
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please fill in the blanks that I can't.
