Gaming mouse goes up in flames, nearly causes apartment fire

Think you have one of the best gaming mice? Think again. A Reddit user recently reported a concerning incident involving their Gigabyte M6880X gaming mouse, which allegedly caught fire spontaneously, filling their apartment with black smoke and causing significant property damage.

The user who goes by the unser name lommelinn, shared images showing the melted mouse, burn marks on the desk, and a destroyed mouse pad. They recounted discovering the device “burning with large flames,” which they quickly extinguished. Despite their swift action, the room was left covered in black particles, affecting other equipment, including a modular synthesizer.

The Gigabyte M6880X is an older, wired optical mouse that’s over a decade old. Given its age, natural wear and tear could have contributed to the incident. Notably, the device lacks internal batteries, ruling out battery-related overheating. Experts suggest that a short circuit or material degradation over time might be potential causes.

My Gigabyte mouse caught fire and almost burned down my apartment
byu/lommelinn inpcmasterrace

In response, Gigabyte has reached out to the affected user and is actively investigating the matter. “We have been made aware of the incident shared by lommelin regarding the M6880X gaming mice. Our customer’s safety is our top priority and we are actively looking into this case. Our team has reached out to lommelin to offer support and to investigate the matter fully. In the meantime, we appreciate the community’s understanding and patience as we work to address this issue,” said the company in a reply on the thread.

Most PC components include safeguards against voltage spikes to protect connected devices. However, computer mice lack such safety mechanisms, leaving them vulnerable to electrical irregularities. This incident serves as a reminder of the potential hazards associated with aging electronic devices. Users are advised to regularly inspect their equipment for signs of wear and consider replacing devices that show indications of deterioration to prevent similar occurrences.