Father and daughter rescued from Xbox-triggered fire

Remember how Microsoft (like Sony) had to recall all of those Xbox power cords due to the possibility of minor burns and singed carpets? Well one family may have unfortunately failed to trade in their adapter, because both father and daughter had to be rescued from a small blaze that the local fire department spokesman attributed to the first generation 'box. Apparently Stuart Ward and Robert Johnson were drinking at a pub on the Welsh island of Anglesey, in the village of Llanfairpwll (no, that's not a typo, we checked; it's actually short for Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, but we didn't feel like taking the time to type that out) when they saw smoke coming from the family's house and staggered into action, pulling the barely-conscious victims from the home. Luckily, both gamers made a full recovery, and their rescuers have apparently been bestowed the title of "Bravest Men in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch" by whomever makes those sorts of proclamations.

[Jay @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Microshit products, what do you expect. God knows what will happen with the crapbox 360. Perhaps immediate detonation if it detects a Playstation console nearby.

[Spence @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Wales: land of sheep and dirt.

[jc @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I bet being postmaster at that town is a pretty tough job... just imagine the size of the envelopes needed to fit "Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch" in the to and from fields.

[Beast @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Hey...that name reminds me of the lake in my hometown of Webster, Massachusetts: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg which literally means "Englishmen at Manchaug at the Fishing Place at the Boundary", but the locals say it means "You Fish on Your Side, I Fish on My Side, Nobody Fish in the Middle". However, the Nipmuck Indians make no reference to "Fire at House at the place where the XBox lies".

[Homer J @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Yes, excellent, a welsh write up on Engadget.

[rewris @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

yeah these dweebs got it wrong again. We don't call it llanfairpwll for short. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is actually called gogogoch for short. damn engadget!

[Bogie @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

From http://llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.com/

"This Welsh town actually exists and its name translates as 'The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio's of the red cave'."

For brevity, it is understandable that many of the locals simply refer to their village as 'Llanfair' 'Llanfair PG' or 'Llanfairpwll' which, of course, makes for easier typing and is faster to pronounce.

[Doug Friedman @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Wow #6 don't be an idiot.

http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.com/

[ela2 @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Sounds like somebody is jealous. What mommy won't plunk down $399 for a new console? Anybody who's an adult, likes gaming, and has a job will pick up both boxes.


1. Posted Nov 23, 2005, 9:49 AM ET by Jay
Microshit products, what do you expect. God knows what will happen with the crapbox 360. Perhaps immediate detonation if it detects a Playstation console nearby

[unclewilco @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

The co.uk has better info on the place and a HOW to say it in Cymraeg.

http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.co.uk/say.php

[escante @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Cool blog you have there check mine out at Carros Lujosos

[BecomingLumberg @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Bump you guys. I'm moving.

[Bogie @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

11: unclewilco

Oh... I missed that site! I just hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button in Google.

I went to University in Wales and we were all taught how to pronounce the name just in-case we had to ask for or give directions to it.

[grubbymitts @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

well, the dicks at M$ sent me a USA plug for my Xbox when I live in Three Pin UK. Twice I've written to the nobwits. Twice I've received a "We'll get on to it" and still nothing.

cretins the lot of them!

[Shin @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Stuart and Robert, thanks for saving 2 innocent lives. Rest of you: Losers. Can't even think that those lives may have been lost, instead continueing your childish arguments about a gameconsole.

[BenC @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

"How are we going to get people to throw out their old Xbox's for new Xbox 360's?" One Microsoft Exec. asks the other. "November 11th at Midnight we press the self destruct button, and every Xbox on the earth will melt down!! Then they will have no choice! HAHAHAHAHA"

[dOOLEY @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Here is a completely tastless joke.

How do Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochians practice safe sex?

They mark the sheep that kick!

but wait a minute is it LlanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochIANS or LlanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochITES?

[Jason Dowdell @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

OMG, that is hilarious. I wonder how the msft Xbox PR department will handle this one.

[Tyler @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Did you know that: http://www.llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.co.uk/
is currently the longest registered domain name in the world?

Wouldn't doubt it...

[Marky @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Actually, this place is know as "Llanfair PG" for short. Thank you Wikipedia!

[Jeff L. @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

I've been to that town. They have a train station with the name printed on it-the sign is like 20 feet long. It has a pronounciation guide if anyone wants to see: http://jeffl.spymac.com/wales.jpg

[Stephen Harris @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Spence, maybe if you put down Tetris, left your bunker once in a while and actually visited Wales you would realise yes, there is sheep and dirt, like a lot of other countries have, but at least there are no morons like you who post pictures of themselves on the internet saying 'Spence Rocks'.

bon apetit.

[Finished.Law.School @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

What game were they playing?

[Nick @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

Man, I really hope you used "copy and paste" on that village name.

[GameDeals.ca @ Dec 19th 2005 2:38AM]

For all of you having a hard time typing the town's name... try pronouncing it properly. My dad is welsh and he taught my sister & I how to say it when we were kids. To this day I can still recite it.