SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20260126-BB11A-2147324209. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: Sharp SMD2470AS (Sharp microwave drawer, 24 inch, 1.2 cubic ft). Incident: While the microwave was in normal operation, it spontaneously malfunctioned and caught fire. There were visible sparks, smoke, and melted plastic rising from inside the unit. The sparks and smoke originated from within the cooking compartment, specifically from the side area above where food is placed. At the time of the incident, we were reheating approximately one cup of pasta in a microwave-safe bowl. The microwave was set to regular high mode and had been running for less than one minute when the event occurred. There was no misuse, no metal, no oversized load, and no deviation from standard, intended use. Upon observing the sparks and smoke, I immediately unplugged the microwave and used a wet dishcloth to extinguish the combustible material. Thankfully, there were no physical injuries, and property damage was limited to the dish towel used to stop the fire. However, this outcome was due solely to immediate intervention; the situation presented a clear and serious fire and safety hazard. My son, my husband, and I witnessed the incident. The microwave drawer is installed in a cabinet designed specifically for a built-in microwave and was installed by a professional contractor. The unit was used and maintained appropriately at all times. This incident was clearly the result of a faulty product. A household microwave should never emit sparks, smoke, or melting internal components during routine reheating, nor should it pose a fire risk to consumers using it exactly as intended.