Associated Press 08.23.07, 9:57 AM ET
OKYO -
An old electric fan produced by Sanyo Electric Co. caused a fire and killed two people this week, forcing the beleaguered company to apologize Thursday and urge consumers to stop using the model.
The accident occurred in Tokyo on Monday. Fire broke out from the fan, produced in 1970, apparently due to decay in its motor and other parts, Sanyo said in a statement. It denied that there was a design flaw or other defects.
"We confirmed the accident was caused by the fire from the fan," the company said. "We take the accident very seriously."
The Osaka-based electronics maker has received 23 similar reports since 2000, including two people who suffered burns, according to company spokesman Akihiko Oiwa.
Sanyo is trying to get back on track under investors led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (nyse: GS - news - people ), which last year put $2.6 billion toward bailing out the company.
I wonder if I should call Goldman Sachs and let them know I have a good investment for them, a product that will give an added margin of safety for all the devices in your home.
The lesson? Aging fans are not the only devices in your home that have the potential for danger. The National Fire Safety Institute doesn't collect statistics about how many of these fires are started, but we all hear stories about these incidents.
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