SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Explosion / rupture

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20191126-C21A1-2147376333. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Kenmore Kenmore model 110.27062600 (Kenmore Elite Oasis Type 580, model 110.27062600 top loading washing machine). Incident: This report is about a Kenmore Elite Oasis Type 580, model 110.27062600 top loading washing machine. Last night I was running a load of laundry in the washing machine. My family and I were in a different area of the house. We heard a sound like loud thunder followed immediately by what sounded like a bomb exploding and the house shook. I ran toward the source of the sound and saw the washing machine looked like it had exploded, with the sheet metal sides twisted and forced outward. The back steel panel was blown loose, and the lid and top frame were attached only at the back corner. There were machine parts and broken pieces of shrapnel scattered throughout the room, along with dirt and lubricating grease from the washer parts. Some of the wet clothes were located on the floor behind the drum. The tray for dispensing detergent and softener was ejected forward onto the floor. The washer rotated sideways and punched a 12 inches wide by 8 inches tall hole in the wall, and there was another smaller hole by the baseboard below. The gas dryer had serious damage from the impact and is inoperable. Next to the far side of the dryer there was a steel clothes rack that had a leg broken by the force of the dryer impacting it. After seeing the damaged dryer, I ran to the basement to shut off the gas and then came back and turned off the water supply lines and unplugged the power cords. The washer had been functioning normally and there was no warning or sound before the incident occurred. This washing machine normally is very quiet. We are in a tight spot financially with needing a new