Why would a light bulb explode?

[Dennis Alwon]

http://www.complaints.com/2006/january/7/GE_Reveal_Bulbs_10660.htm

well wow.

One comment was the bulb blew up and it wasn't even on..... Hmmmmm

 

[templdl]

Hello.

Mom has a ceiling fan with light canopy kit with four lamps on it.

Medium type A base socket. Smaller rounder bulbs.

She turned on the light and one bulb exploded .... It really did.

I went over and cleaned it up ( she left it for me to see ) and replaced the bulb.

It is what it is. It blew up and is done. Just wondering why. Any reasoning?

She mentioned changing two others more often and the one that blew up was in there for a while

Just wondering if someone may have some type of explanation.


Thank you

I had one explode 8-10 yes ago in my ceiling fan. It sent a piece of its hot glass flying, landing on the floor melting a mark in the floor covering.
I credit the event as a fluke caused by the heating at the base of the bulb as a result of the bulb being base up. At that time I was using a flame shaped bulb because of its design which may have not been rated for it and since have been using the regular bults labeled for use with ceiling fans since.
I considered it a blessing that the built didn,'t excplode burning someone or at a time where the hot glass could have fell on something that was combustible starting a fore. Yes, it could have been so much worse.