I was listening to a CD yesterday on my Avant when smoke started pouring from the back of it. The room was filled with foul smelling acrid smoke, and I was torn between just pulling the plug, or pushing the damn thing off the fire escape!
Post mortem revealed a class X capacitor in the VCR had ruptured, causing the smoke. This is contained in the metal box of the VCR power supply, so there was little danger of the cabinet catching alight. The room and the tv still reek of burning appliance.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't a power surge, as nothing else on the same circuit was damaged (and there is a lot more sensitive equipment on that breaker).
The TV is staying outside in disgrace until it has stopped stinking the house out.
Thanks, BANG and olufsen!