New lawsuit alleges MagSafe spark ignited oxygen unit

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware
A new lawsuit has been filed against Apple after a MagSafe Adapter allegedly sparked and ignited a customer's oxygen tank.

MagSafe adapter
MagSafe adapter


Filed in the Northern Division of Eastern Illinois, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of plaintiffs Penny and Jerry Manzi.

Penny Manzi was at home using her MacBook with Apple's MagSafe Adapter that magnetically provided power to the machine. Penny was using her oxygen machine at 100-percent when the adapter allegedly created a spark that ignited the oxygen mask, "engulfing the plaintiff's skull and face in flames." The incident happened in January 2018.

Plaintiff's claim Apple was fully aware of the issues plaguing the MagSafe Adapter, but purposely misled customers by not directly notifying the Manzis of its potential dangers.

As noted in the complaint, Apple acknowledged there were issues with certain MagSafe Adapters through an extended warranty initiative. Previously available to U.S. customers, the Power Adapter Replacement Program identified older-generation T-shaped adapters for replacement. The replacement program debuted in 2011 as the result of a class-action lawsuit claiming MagSafe's design leads to "Strain Relief Damage."

According to complaints, some T-shaped MagSafe hardware showed signs of deterioration in daily use, with frayed and exposed internal wires potentially posing a fire hazard. A lawsuit in 2010, for example, claimed sparks from a faulty MagSafe unit caused a major house fire in Connecticut.

Apple's Power Adapter Replacement Program ended in January 2014.

It is worth noting that plaintiffs in today's case did not identify the MacBook model in use by the Manzis. Considering Apple initiatives referenced in the case, it can be assumed that the computer in question dates back to the first-generation T-shaped MagSafe adapter that saw use from 2006 to 2011. A second-generation iteration that ditched the T-shaped design in favor of a barrel-mounted L-shaped connector was introduced in 2012.

The Manzis are seeking an excess of $75,000 from Apple for past and present pain and suffering, loss of normal life, and medical expenses resulting from the fire.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    If there is any truth in the story. 

    Why she plugged in the MagSafe so close to her face? Unless she has really really short arms.

    Unless she was in a pure oxygen room. How can the MagSafe made a spark 59 ignite the oxygen. Not to mention the oxygen from the mask is rather small amount. Unless she stayed in Michael Jackson’s oxygen bed.

    The oxygen tank did not explode, or she will be killed.

    $75000 is really lowballs in Apple’s standard. I wonder how seriously hurts she was if her claim is true.
    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 27
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    Americas are sue-happy, plain and simple.  As if poor MagSafe hasn't had enough trouble as it is, with Apple ditching it altogether from the MacBook Pro and replacing it with nothing, ensuring that more people are harmed overall (by tripping over the cord and losing your entire MacBook purchase to the ground) than one person and an oxygen tank.
    baconstangcoolfactormwhitechaickajbdragonwelshdogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 27
    coolfactorcoolfactor Posts: 2,239member
    Bollocks! Can I say that as a Canadian?

    By the time that the cable is frayed enough to begin sparking, there's very visible damage. If this person continued using the power cord in this condition, Apple can not be held liable. However, if they are claiming that the MagSafe Connector made a spark, while still in good condition, Apple can't be held liable for that either. Electrical connections of any kind can cause sparks. Every time you plug in a lamp, or even the other end of the power adapter, into the wall, it creates a spark!

    I'm sorry to hear what happened to this poor woman, but Apple is not responsible for this. Apple can not be expected to think for their customers!
    edited January 2019 redgeminipachaickajbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 27
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    viclauyyc said:
    If there is any truth in the story. 

    Why she plugged in the MagSafe so close to her face? Unless she has really really short arms.

    Unless she was in a pure oxygen room. How can the MagSafe made a spark 59 ignite the oxygen. Not to mention the oxygen from the mask is rather small amount. Unless she stayed in Michael Jackson’s oxygen bed.

    The oxygen tank did not explode, or she will be killed.

    Add to that questions like ‘what was the state of the adapter’. I mean if it was old and frayed then it was on her to replace it. Also was she given any warnings about using electronics with the oxygen going. I remember visiting a friend in hospital who was on oxygen and they told us not to use our phones in the room and to be careful about rubbing against the bed clothes etc cause of static electricity 

    and then yes there is the issue of how that spark caused a fire that burned her face but didn’t blow up the tank etc
    chaickajbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 27
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member
    viclauyyc said:
    If there is any truth in the story. 

    Why she plugged in the MagSafe so close to her face? Unless she has really really short arms.

    Unless she was in a pure oxygen room. How can the MagSafe made a spark 59 ignite the oxygen. Not to mention the oxygen from the mask is rather small amount. Unless she stayed in Michael Jackson’s oxygen bed.

    The oxygen tank did not explode, or she will be killed.

    $75000 is really lowballs in Apple’s standard. I wonder how seriously hurts she was if her claim is true.
    Where does it say that the computer was close to her face?
  • Reply 6 of 27
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member

    Bollocks! Can I say that as a Canadian?

    By the time that the cable is frayed enough to begin sparking, there's very visible damage. If this person continued using the power cord in this condition, Apple can not be held liable. However, if they are claiming that the MagSafe Connector made a spark, while still in good condition, Apple can't be held liable for that either. Electrical connections of any kind can cause sparks. Every time you plug in a lamp, or even the other end of the power adapter, into the wall, it creates a spark!

    I'm sorry to hear what happened to this poor woman, but Apple is not responsible for this. Apple can not be expected to think for their customers!
    Again, more speculation.  Where does it say the cable was frayed?  I read the entire lawsuit, and I don't mention of any this stuff people are throwing up on here.
  • Reply 7 of 27
    flydogflydog Posts: 1,123member

    jdw said:
    Americas are sue-happy, plain and simple.  As if poor MagSafe hasn't had enough trouble as it is, with Apple ditching it altogether from the MacBook Pro and replacing it with nothing, ensuring that more people are harmed overall (by tripping over the cord and losing your entire MacBook purchase to the ground) than one person and an oxygen tank.

    People don't spontaneously combust for no reason.  If the MacBook was the cause of the spark that lit the oxygen, shouldn't she be able to sue?
  • Reply 8 of 27
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned that oxygen isn’t flammable.  Oxygen is an oxidizer. It’s used in the combustion process but is not combustible. 
    backstabbeowulfschmidtredgeminipachaickajbdragonwelshdogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 27
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned that oxygen isn’t flammable.  Oxygen is an oxidizer. It’s used in the combustion process but is not combustible. 
    No - Oxygen isn't flammable by itself, but high oxygen concentrations can allow some substances to burn that would not normally burn in room air. This isn't the case here, but every year several idiots nearly burn their faces off by smoking cigarettes with their oxygen on.

    There are several problems with the case here - as someone has mentioned, any potential spark caused by the magsafe connector would be 18" away from the woman's face and the mask it supposedly ignited. If this were truly a risk, than the shock she would get from static electricity when grabbing a doorknob would be just as dangerous. 
    redgeminipachaickajbdragonmaltzwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 27
    JFC_PAJFC_PA Posts: 932member
    flydog said:
    viclauyyc said:
    If there is any truth in the story. 

    Why she plugged in the MagSafe so close to her face? Unless she has really really short arms.

    Unless she was in a pure oxygen room. How can the MagSafe made a spark 59 ignite the oxygen. Not to mention the oxygen from the mask is rather small amount. Unless she stayed in Michael Jackson’s oxygen bed.

    The oxygen tank did not explode, or she will be killed.

    $75000 is really lowballs in Apple’s standard. I wonder how seriously hurts she was if her claim is true.
    Where does it say that the computer was close to her face?
    How else would a spark at the connector to the computer  ignite her mask?

    though, as mentioned, oxygen doesn’t ignite. That takes other material such as was present at the Apollo fatal fire.”A review board ultimately identified a number of conditions that led the fire. The sealed cabin had been pressurized with pure oxygen, which fuels fire. There were combustible materials all around the capsule, as well as “vulnerable” wiring and plumbing, according to the NASA summary.”


    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/26/50-years-ago-three-astronauts-died-in-the-apollo-1-fire/?utm_term=.982e75a0f7a5


    Similarly theres “No smoking Oxygen in use”
    signs plastered everywhere in a medical facility where supplemental Oxygen is available. No doubt she was warned of the hazard? Now if that mask is made of flammable material? There’s a lawsuit worth pursuing. 


    edited January 2019 chaickajbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 27
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    flydog said:

    jdw said:
    Americas are sue-happy, plain and simple.  As if poor MagSafe hasn't had enough trouble as it is, with Apple ditching it altogether from the MacBook Pro and replacing it with nothing, ensuring that more people are harmed overall (by tripping over the cord and losing your entire MacBook purchase to the ground) than one person and an oxygen tank.

    People don't spontaneously combust for no reason.  If the MacBook was the cause of the spark that lit the oxygen, shouldn't she be able to sue?
    No.  Should I sue a light switch maker because I was stupid and left the kitchen gas going without a flame, such that my house was filled with gas and a spark of any kind would ignite it?  The answer is no, no, no, no, no!

    One thing we know about life is that it's filled with trouble and much sorrow.  Americans think they can rectify that with lawsuits, and greedy lawyers are more than happy to accommodate that human nature failing.

    Americans should make it much harder and much less profitable to sue for ANY reason.  Doing so would actually be a blessing to the entire nation, not a burden.  To think otherwise is to defend the present legal system and the lawyers who profit off of it, regardless of how well or bad it goes for their clients.
    backstabchaickamaltzwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 27
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,324member
    Now if that mask is made of flammable material? There’s a lawsuit worth pursuing. 
    I'm of the opinion that most all lawsuits are NOT worth pursuing.  We all too often look for little things to get someone else involved in a lawsuit.  There are so many would-be lawyers in these online forums too, either defending lawsuits in general, or citing rules and laws left and right.  

    Sometimes you just need to turn the other cheek, even if it's a burned cheek, and move on with your life without pointing any fingers, and without trying to get compensation through litigation.  Trust me.  Americans are giving.  No doubt someone would open a GoFundMe account and help you out if your own sob story hit the news.  The point here is that there are alternatives to suing, and more Americans should pursue them.  That also means stop watching TV and ADs that promote lawsuits.  That brain-rot gets in the mind and stays there, whispering to you to sue everybody for literally anything.  I still vividly remember watching TV in CA in the early 1990's.  Slip and fall?  I got $100k!  Have a bike?  Call John Riley, the Motorcycle Lawyer!

    I'm happy to say most of that madness is restricted to US borders.  I don't see any of that here in Japan.  And it's not nearly such a problem in other countries either.  So much for the land of the BRAVE.  People lack courage to take a hit on the chin and simply move forward in their lives. They think they can only move forward with a lawsuit.  It's simply not true.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 27
    The sad part is she could have had Apple replace the MagSafe charger for free if she brought it in years ago when they were offering the free replacements. Heck, she probably could have still gotten one today if she was nice about it. This could have been prevented if she took the time to read any Mac sites that ran stories about Apple’s replacement program. That’s how I found out and found Apple’s support website which listed all of the quality programs they had. 

    People these days don’t want to have any accountability when it comes to checking to see if any products they own might have safety recalls or any type of program to replace them. 

    You can argue that it’s the manufacturers responsibility to notify you, but it’s your life and up to you to protect yourself from preventable accidents or anything that could be a potential problem. Kinda like not keeping a recalled
    Samsung Note because you liked the design. 
    chaickawatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 27
    backstabbackstab Posts: 138member
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned that oxygen isn’t flammable.  Oxygen is an oxidizer. It’s used in the combustion process but is not combustible. 
    Yep. Thought the same thing.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 27
    kimberlykimberly Posts: 427member
    backstab said:
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned that oxygen isn’t flammable.  Oxygen is an oxidizer. It’s used in the combustion process but is not combustible. 
    Yep. Thought the same thing.
    If one has fuel (whatever that may be) and a fire happening, then adding oxygen is going to ramp things up that's for sure.  Anyhow, no-one knows all the facts of the case except the plaintiffs and the defendant so whilst all the comments are a good read, at the end of the day they are ill-informed.
    edited January 2019
  • Reply 16 of 27
    DuhSesameDuhSesame Posts: 1,278member
    jdw said:
    Americas are sue-happy, plain and simple.  As if poor MagSafe hasn't had enough trouble as it is, with Apple ditching it altogether from the MacBook Pro and replacing it with nothing, ensuring that more people are harmed overall (by tripping over the cord and losing your entire MacBook purchase to the ground) than one person and an oxygen tank.
    My Type-C charging cable is very easy to pull, so I don’t see tripping on it is a serious problem.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 27
    Atomic BioticAtomic Biotic Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    Tell them to plant a tree instead of using a stupid o2 tank lol. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 27
    A 100 % oxygen environment is a fire hazard of the utmost potential danger. Of the three people that the victim could sue: her parents, for raising her stupid; the medical equipment company, for not dumbproofing their equipment to a ridiculous extent; Apple for not antecipating the most egregious use cases of their devices. Apple has the biggest pockets, so I blame her parents, that raised her that stupid and that greedy!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 27
    flydog said:
    viclauyyc said:
    If there is any truth in the story. 

    Why she plugged in the MagSafe so close to her face? Unless she has really really short arms.

    Unless she was in a pure oxygen room. How can the MagSafe made a spark 59 ignite the oxygen. Not to mention the oxygen from the mask is rather small amount. Unless she stayed in Michael Jackson’s oxygen bed.

    The oxygen tank did not explode, or she will be killed.

    $75000 is really lowballs in Apple’s standard. I wonder how seriously hurts she was if her claim is true.
    Where does it say that the computer was close to her face?
    Most people breath through their faces. Hence that is likely where her oxygen mask was.

    Having me mask anywhere else (and on full) is a misuse of her medical equipment and reckless in addition to what must have been a visibly unsafe cable (also reckless). 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 27
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    flydog said:

    jdw said:
    Americas are sue-happy, plain and simple.  As if poor MagSafe hasn't had enough trouble as it is, with Apple ditching it altogether from the MacBook Pro and replacing it with nothing, ensuring that more people are harmed overall (by tripping over the cord and losing your entire MacBook purchase to the ground) than one person and an oxygen tank.

    People don't spontaneously combust for no reason.  If the MacBook was the cause of the spark that lit the oxygen, shouldn't she be able to sue?
    Perhaps you missed 101 chemistry class.  Oxygen cannot be 'lit'  ignite or burn.  
    watto_cobra
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