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

A redditor's gaming mouse spontaneously combusted, nearly causing a house fire. The user, u/lommelinn, reported their Gigabyte M6880X wired optical mouse ignited while their PC was in sleep mode, filling their room with smoke and causing significant damage to their desk, mousepad, and even a nearby modular synthesizer.

The incident is particularly perplexing given the mouse's design: a simple wired model with no internal battery, powered by a low-voltage USB 2.0 connection. Images show the mouse's top rear panel completely melted, while the underside remained largely intact. The cause of the localized damage remains a mystery.

My Gigabyte mouse caught fire and almost burned down my apartment
by u/lommelinn in pcmasterrace

Gigabyte acknowledged the incident and launched an investigation, stating in a Reddit comment that customer safety is their top priority and they're working to fully understand the cause. They contacted u/lommelinn to offer support.

In a follow-up post, u/lommelinn expressed their shock and confusion, emphasizing that their PC was in sleep mode and that the USB port appeared to be functioning correctly. The incident highlights the unexpected potential for even seemingly simple devices to malfunction catastrophically.