SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Electrical shock / short

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20210309-3742C-2147365445. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: GE Appliances Smart Washer GTW750CSL1WS (GE Top Load Washing Machine (5.0 cu. ft. Capacity Smart Washer with Stainless Steel Basket) Model GTW750CSL1WS). Incident: My family and I were relaxing at home one evening when we heard a loud explosion accompanied by the sound of crunching metal; like that of a vehicle collision. The whole house shook and the sound was so loud that my wife and I were immediately alarmed and ran to check on our young children. Upon investigation, I discovered that our top-load GE washing machine (GTW750CSL1WS) had violently spun around in our laundry room with enough force to significantly damage the dryer and utility sink that were on each side of the washer. It was evident that the washer's heavy drum had become separated from the unit during a spin cycle which caused the whole machine to explode. The top was blown off and the sides blasted outward with such force that they appear to be damaged beyond repair. Fortunately, no one was injured but I am filing this report out of concern for other consumers. I am shocked to know that if my one-year old or any other member of my family had been in the laundry room or in the doorway when this event had occurred, they could have been killed or seriously injured given the obvious, violent force of the washing machine explosion and spin. Also of concern, broken pieces of sharp plastic were found in the laundry room after having been forcefully ejected and some were even found in the room across the hallway from the laundry room door. Furthermore, golf-ball sized plastic knobs that sit underneath the top of the washer had been thrown from the washer. The washing machine also flung a brown, smelly sludge over the clothes inside the drum and on the walls and floor of the