HP has recalled 70,000 lithium-ion batteries, which are overheating and causing fires.
According to the recall announcement there have been two reported incidents of batteries overheating in HP laptops, resulting in "flames and fire that caused minor property damage but no injuries".
The laptops featuring the recalled batteries cover a wide range of models, including the Pavilion, Presario and Compaq series. The batteries were also sold individually.
The worldwide recall warned anybody who bought one of these models between August 2007 and March 2008 to return the battery to HP for a free exchange. In the meantime, it's perfectly safe to continue using the laptop on mains power.
The incident follows a similar recall in October, when HP was forced to yank 32,000 Sony-made batteries. Toshiba and Dell were also part of that product recall, with Toshiba recalling about 3,000 batteries and Dell recalling 150.
The statement from HP did not identify the manufacturer of the 70,000 batteries it wants back, but it does note they were manufactured in China. The Sony batteries were built in Japan.
