BANDERA, Texas – When Kristyn Ryan decided to wash bed sheets Monday morning, she did not expect to get a load of trouble.
"My washer basically exploded," she said.
Ryan was sitting down to eat breakfast with her daughters when she said she heard a loud racket from the laundry room.
"I heard what sounded like a tornado just whipping around this room," she said. "It sounded like the roof caving in."
When she pushed open the door, she found that her 2-year old Samsung top-loader had come unmoored when the machine lurched into a violent spin cycle. Parts were strewn about, including the large plastic ring that encircles the tub.
"I'm thinking this ring came off and was actually flying around the room," Ryan said.
The drywall was gashed and the heavy upright freezer was dented and moved several feet from its original location.
It may sound like a freak incident, but it has happened before.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has several reports from others about exploding Samsung washers.
When Ryan called Samsung, she said it offered apologies but no explanation and offered to pay to replace her washer and for her damages
When contacted for a response, Samsung confirmed that it will pay for her losses.
"The reported incident is rare. We regret the inconvenience Mrs. Ryan experienced," said Andrew Bowlins, vice president of corporate reputation for Samsung North America. "Any occurrence, however rare, is taken very seriously."
Considering that her young daughters could have been in the laundry room feeding the pets when the washer went wild, Ryan wants more. She wants the company to recall the models that have experienced the problem.
"It's a ticking time bomb," she said. "It's going to happen to someone. "
There has been a recall in Australia, but not in the United States.
Samsung's full statement:
“The reported incident is rare. We regret the inconvenience Mrs. Ryan has experienced and we are providing a full refund for the washer and covering any related expenses to the incident. Any occurrence, however rare, is taken very seriously and we work closely with affected customers to investigate the unique circumstances that may have led to the incident. It is important to note that Samsung customers have completed hundreds of millions of loads without incident since we entered the category in 2011.”