Samsung plagued by explosion-prone washers

[THE INVESTOR]  Samsung Electronics said on Sept. 30 that it is considering to roll out measures to handle the explosions of some of its top-loading washing machines, sold in the US and Canada.

Samsung said that “it is in discussion with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to come up with support measures for consumers who have been affected by washing machine models involved in the recent safety issue.”

The US watchdog has warned consumers of some of Samsung’s top-load washing machines that are susceptible to explosions. 

“In area cases, affected units may experience abnormal vibrations that could pose a risk of personal injury or property damage when washing bedding, bulky or water-resistant items,” the CPSC said in its warning.

Some top-load washing machines made between March 2011 and April 2016 and sold in the US and Canada are said to have exploded reportedly when heavily loaded.

The latest washer issue poses an immense challenge to the Korean tech giant, which has been trying to desperately recuperate from the recent battery explosion cases of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)