Pullman Fire and WSU Housing are currently investigating defective microwaves in campus residence halls after two separate units caught fire in the past month.

Both incidents occurred in Orton Hall, the most recent on Aug. 25 when a Pop-Tart caught fire. The resident quickly put it out with a fire extinguisher, Pullman Fire Chief Mike Heston said.

He said the incidents, which both involved microwaves, were not due to overcooking.

Because of this, he said, they are looking into whether the individual units are defective because of their age, or if there is a defect in the model.

WSU Housing Director Bob Tattershall said they have notified residents of the issue and are currently checking individual units to ensure there are no issues.

Heston said residents should continue to use their units as normal, because they’ve found the majority to be working properly.

However, he reminds students not to leave food unattended and to unplug microwaves when not in use.

Reporting by Katie Shadler