Booster popped with smoke coming out

[reeree81]

Hi,

I returned from hholiday and switched on all of my electrics.  When I switched one of the booster packs back on, it literally popped and started to release smoke, thankfully no fire and my plug socket still works with other appliances.

I've looked at the help section but it doesn't confirm if I need to return the boosters to Virgin, if they will send an engineer out to check the socket is safe (due to their appliance causing the issue) etc 

Cannot find the right number to ring and when I click on the message option, a code appears but nothing else.

Can I just throw them away without being charged?

[Cardiffman282 · Accepted solution]

Do please report this very serious incident to Trading Standards and retain (but not use) the booster as evidence https://www.tradingstandards.uk/consumer-help/

[Carley_S]

Hi @reeree81 

Welcome to the community forums 

Sorry to hear that you've experienced an issue with one of our boosters. 

We would ask these boosters to be returned to us so we can understand what happened.. 

We've been able to locate you on the systems at our side and raised this with the team who'll be able to assist you further on how to send these back to us and discuss the boosters further should you need, 

[HavencroftKev]

Reeree I think Cardiffman is spot on here, this is happening an awful lot at the moment. 

Report this to trading standards and retain the booster as evidence.

[unisoft]

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@HavencroftKev wrote:

Reeree I think Cardiffman is spot on here, this is happening an awful lot at the moment. 

Report this to trading standards and retain the booster as evidence.

---

Agree and this line "We would ask these boosters to be returned to us so we can understand what happened." seems like burying the evidence - call me cynical.

Honestly though, how this company has not recalled these boosters popping and catching fire is beyond me. Its like the ancient HUB3's all having red lights which on their own web page says its indicative of overheating, yet some VM agents argue with customers (like me originally) saying its all fine. 

here are just SOME of the links:

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Old-Wi-Fi-booster-caught-on-fire/m-p/539315...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Booster-caught-fire/m-p/5415883

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Booster-went-on-Fire/m-p/5392394

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Booster-Plug-Blown-Sparked-and-Smokey/m-p/5...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/My-VM-wifi-booster-blew-up/m-p/5545361

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Booster-sparked-and-smoked-and-now-cannot-g...

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Booster-sparked-and-smoked-and-now-cannot-g...

[Cardiffman282]

So that it is on the record at Virgin Media Ltd's end:

"Where safety risks or consumer incidents are identified, you must immediately notify your local Trading Standards service, who will work with you on next steps. It will be your responsibility to carry out any programme of corrective action or product recall.

If you fail to notify Trading Standards of any known issues or risks, you may be subject to enforcement action, which can lead to legal prosecution.

Under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, if any of your products are found to be unsafe, you could be sued by anyone affected – even if they didn’t buy the product themselves."

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/product-safety-law-compliance-advice-for-manufacturers-and-importers

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-notifications-of-unsafe-and-noncompliant-product...

[reeree81]

Thanks everyone.  The incident has been reported to Trading Standards and they have already responded and will be escalating to Virgin.  I am now just awaiting direct contact from Virgin.

[Cardiffman282]

Fantastic news. Do please keep the thread updated. 

[Steven_L]

Thanks for coming back to us with your update reeree81, have you heard from the team yet? 

Kind Regards,

Steven_L

[Cardiffman282]

See https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Community-Natter/Virgin-Media-in-explosive-news-story-on-Monday...