Could a CPU explode

[Deepak]

and kill?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ies-in-computer-blast/articleshow/4357502.cms

CHENNAI: A young software engineer working with Tata Consultancy Services was killed in a suspected computer blast at his home on Telugu Brahmin Street in Velachery late on Friday. The incident took place when Vijayakumar (28), hailing from Madurai, was working on the computer.

Police said his charred body was found in a sitting posture. “We are yet to ascertain the cause of the blast. The computer was completely damaged and the deceased was charred,” a police officer told TOI. Vijayakumar was sharing the house with two other software engineers, Vignesh (26) and Ram Prasad (26). When the accident occurred Ram Prasad was in the room with Vijayakumar, police said.

“Ram Prasad had gone to take bath. He told us that suddenly he heard a blast and when he rushed out he saw the charred body of his friend and fainted,” the officer said. However, the case has baffled the investigating officers. “It sounds quite unbelievable. We have not heard of such a case before. But the scene of the accident seems to suggest that the youth was killed in an accident as his body was in the sitting position in front of the burnt computer,” the official added.

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Never came across anything like this before!

 

[AlNom]

Not sure about setting people on fire.

 

[Bludd]

The article doesn't say if it was a laptop or not. If it was a laptop, the most likely explosion hazard would be the lithium battery. An exploding CPU killing a man sounds ... impossible.

Edit: Saw the video, but that shouldn't kill and burn a man. A lithium battery could.

 

[AlNom]

Indeed... What I don't get is that he was found in the chair... as though he was killed instantly and then set on fire (by the lithium battery)?

 

[hoho]

I believe that "explosion" in the video was achieved by a small explosive charge or gun set off under the table where the motherboard and CPU were. CPU should not be capable of explosion, et least not at those power levels that run on normal motherboards.

 

[Neb]

Not sure about setting people on fire.

Nah that is fake. No way would the CPU explode like that considering material used for the CPU. First the paste would start to boil and burn and soon aswell the chip but it's very small intense flame. And no way it would blow a 'perfect drill' hole shaped hole through mobo and the thick desk! ^^

 

[Bludd]

Yeah, I too see the hole now.

 

[Deepak]

Sorry folks, by CPU I meant the entire desktop case (presuming it was a desktop PC).

 

[hoho]

Pretty much the only explosing-capable parts in a desktop computer are capacitors and they are not nearly big enough to set a man on fire.

 

[AlNom]

dun dun dun... And you'd think if a person were on fire, he'd go batshit crazy and not be "in a sitting posture"...

 

[Bludd]

... Murder!

 

[shyam335]

http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/04/stories/2009040458810300.htm

 

[BRiT]

It was probably setup to look like an accident so someone could claim the 5 cows and 3 roosters insurance policy...

 

[Neb]

It was probably setup to look like an accident so someone could claim the 5 cows and 3 roosters insurance policy...

Why thank you for that laugh!

 

[Anarchist4000]

I suppose it could be some sort of arc blast but he would have been blown across the room if that happened. You'd need a really big power line for those conditions to even exist.

My only guess would be some sort of major failure in the electrical grid, not the computer itself. Even shorting a normal outlet shouldn't be able to cause that much burning.

 

[BoardBonobo]

Wonder what kind of cooling system the PC had. Is it conceivable he had a gas or liquid cooled block on that had leaked and then ignited?

I had an XP1900+ go into melt down once. I had just built a new machine and was finishing smooth the copper block when a friend decided to switch the PC on to see the new "wonder" machine in action...

It was a pretty instantaneous affect, the substrate buckled, the chip literally boiled off the block and we had lots of acrid smoke. But no explosion or fire.

 

[Simon F]

Wonder what kind of cooling system the PC had. Is it conceivable he had a gas or liquid cooled block on that had leaked and then ignited?

If you read the article posted...

http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/04/stories/2009040458810300.htm

.. you might consider a possibility he was using kerosene as the coolant...

 

[Bludd]

.. you might consider a possibility he was using kerosene as the coolant...

I can certainly recommend using kerosene as a coolant and combined body spray!

 

[Simon F]

I can certainly recommend using kerosene as a coolant and combined body spray!

Maybe this is a cross section for the CPU fan architecture...

 

[Bludd]

Yes, quite. It will certainly keep the system nice and cool. I also recommend sitting in the back-wash if you are feeling a little bit hot under the collar as it were.