Too Hot to Handle: Gaming Mouse Allegedly Burst Into Flame and Almost “Burned Down” User's Apartment

A redditor named lommelinn experienced a shocking incident: their Gigabyte M6880X gaming mouse spontaneously combusted while their PC was in sleep mode. The user reported smelling smoke and discovering their mouse engulfed in flames, resulting in significant damage to their room, including a modular synthesizer. Fortunately, a larger disaster was averted.

The Gigabyte M6880X is a wired optical mouse, powered by a standard USB 2.0 connection (5V at 0.5A), making the fire particularly unexpected. Images show the mouse's top rear panel completely melted, while the underside remained relatively undamaged. The desk and mousepad also sustained melt damage.

The incident, shared on r/pcmasterrace under the title "My Gigabyte mouse caught fire and almost burned down my apartment," prompted a response from Gigabyte. The company acknowledged the situation, stating that customer safety is paramount and that they are investigating the matter, having contacted lommelinn directly to offer support.

lommelinn, in a follow-up post, expressed bewilderment, emphasizing that their PC was in sleep mode at the time and that subsequent voltage checks on the USB port revealed no anomalies. The cause of the fire remains a mystery.