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Samsung products causing 'havoc': Choice

The consumer watchdog Choice says Samsung products are "wreaking havoc" after another faulty Samsung washing machine caught fire, this time in Melbourne.

Faulty Samsung washing machine
A Samsung washing machine first recalled in 2013 is believed to be behind a house fire in Melbourne (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Consumer watchdog Choice says it doesn't want anybody to "die in the dark" from a Samsung product after another washing machine caught alight.

An elderly woman in Melbourne's north had to be treated for smoke inhalation after her laundry room caught alight on Thursday.

MFB investigators say the cause of the blaze was a faulty Samsung top loader.

"The Samsung top loader had previously been recalled for safety reasons," the brigade said in a statement on Friday, urging residents to check their machines.

Six Samsung washing machine models were subject to an Australia-wide safety recall in 2013.

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Samsung has won back-to-back Shonkys from Choice after recalling its potentially dangerous Galaxy Note7 smartphone this year and failing to advertise its top loader washing machine recall on TV in 2015.

Choice's head of media, Tom Godfrey, says Samsung products are "wreaking havoc".

"We don't want to see anyone die in the dark as a result of a Samsung washing machine or smartphone failing," he said in a statement.

Choice has urged customers to seek a refund for any recalled Samsung product.

Samsung said it had resolved 81 per cent of top loaders affected in September, but there were still around 27,000 machines still unchecked.

There have been at least 87 fires causing damage to property by Samsung washing machines in Australia.


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