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The B.C. Coroners Service issued a warning Wednesday to residents not to leave their computers running on soft surfaces, such as couches.
The warning came on the heels of the completion of an investigation into a fatal house fire in Vancouver earlier this year.
A 56-year-old man died Feb. 26 when a laptop overheated and caught fire within 50 minutes of being left on a couch, according to the Coroners Service.
The Coroners Service learned during its investigation that several laptop models have been recalled in recent years due to problems with lithium-ion batteries overheating and bursting into flames.
Since 2004, four other laptops have either overheated or short-circuited when left plugged in, sparking fires. In addition, there have been 15 fires caused by other electronic devices that short-circuited or overheated, such as personal computers, DVD players and cell phone chargers.
The B.C. Coroners Service recommends the following when using a laptop:
* Always operate on a hard surface that allows ventilation. Soft materials can block the airflow vents and cause it to overheat.
* Always shut down your laptop, even for short periods of time, especially when placed in a carrying bag.
* Inspect and clean the air vents on a weekly basis. Forced-air dusters can be used to keep the vents clean and free from debris.
* Replace any equipment or parts that do not work according to manufacturer specifications and standards.
* Using a laptop desk or cooler will prevent you from being burned when using your laptop. A good laptop desk will have large enough vents to allow for air circulation between you and the laptop.
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