Fresh fears over iPod nanos after 'defective batteries' overheat and catch fire

Fresh safety fears about Apple iPod Nano music players surfaced yesterday after it emerged two minor fires had been caused, possibly because of a battery defect.

In one, a newspaper was scorched, while in another a woven straw mat on which a Nano had been placed was burned. Nobody was injured in the incidents in Japan.

Hiroyuki Yoshitsune, of the country's trade ministry, said it had received a similar complaint in March about sparks shooting out of a Nano.

It was suspected there was a defect in the lithiuim-ion battery in all three cases.

The government is working with Apple to investigate the problem.

The two latest cases involved a Nano model number MA099, which singed paper in August, and model MA005, which burned a Japanese traditional tatami mat, in January.

Both music players were twisted out of shape from the heat and became unusable, said the ministry.

‘We are not in the position to speculate on the outcome of the investigation. But after several incidents like these, it would be appropriate for Apple to take some measures to raise the public's awareness', a ministry spokesman said. 

Apple has also faced problems before over its hugely popular iPod nano. There were complaints that the £100 music player's screen cracked easily. The company claimed only a single batch was faulty.

Apple recalled two million laptop computer batteries in 2006, warning they could be a fire hazard.

The recall of 1.8million batteries came after at least nine overheated – leaving two users with burns and causing some 'damage to property'.

Apple officials were not immediately available for comment.