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)

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.

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.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world